Stakeholders call for promoting CFLG for realizing child rights

Kathmandu: Various stakeholders have urged the authorities concerned to promote the Child Friendly Local Governance (CFLG) agenda for attaining the goals of child rights in the country.

The call was made in the National Consultation on progress, challenges, and way forward on CFLG held in the capital this week. The National Child Friendly Local Governance Forum hosted the event with the support of World Vision International Nepal and in coordination with Jagriti Child and Youth Concern Nepal. Nepal ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child on September 14, 1990, and celebrates National Children’s Day on 14 September every year, commemorating the day of the formal initiation of the child rights campaign in the country.

This year, National Children’s Day was celebrated nationwide with the slogan “The foundation of Child-Friendly Society is the responsible family, Accountable Government”, which has escalated the importance of the CFLG framework for the realization of child rights in the country. The programme was organized to bring the agenda of CFLG to the limelight, and pave the way forward by discussing the current situation, progress, and constraints.

Former Commissioner and Spokesperson of the National Human Rights Commission Gauri Pradhan emphasized that a safe environment for children was comfortable for all age groups, but an environment focused on other age groups was not suitable for children, with which it was necessary to increase investment in children. Also speaking on the occasion, undersecretary at the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens Krishna Thapa, former secretary of Nepal government Reshmi Raj Pandey, Dr Devaki Acharya from the National Child Rights Council, former Executive Director of the National Child Rights Council Milan Raj Dharel and chairperson of National Action and Coordination Group Benu Maya Gurung, among others stressed the importance of intervening in making CFLG campaign effective and accountable and expressed their commitment to enhancing their involvement in the campaign.

Likewise, People and Culture Coordinator of World Vision International Nepal Anubhav Adhikari and UNICEF representative Toya Nath Subedi and National Director of Justice Venture International Prakash Khadka emphasized the need for CFLG for tackling sensitive issues like trafficking, abuse, unsafe migration. On the occasion, MOFAGA’s Under Secretary Resham Kadel and Janak Raj Sharma delivered a presentation on the concept of CFLG and the state of its implementation guideline. They expressed their commitment on behalf of the Ministry to intervene effectively to promote the Child-Friendly Campaign. Former Executive Director of the then Central Child Welfare Board Dharel gave a presentation on the progress, challenges, and way forward of the CFLG campaign.

It may be noted that the government aims to declare the entire country as Child Friendly by 2030 A.D. So far, only around 21 Local Governments and 46 wards of various other Local Governments have been CFLG declared. National CFLG Forum is a national network working exclusively for the promotion of CFLG in the country since its establishment in 2017 A.D. It has 15 member organizations. As many as 70 participants representing various government bodies, development partners, Civil Society Organizations, Campaigners, and Child Club members/ graduates attended the event, –