Budget crunch hits child development

Kanchanrup, Saptari, Sept. 20: The Child Friendly Local Governance (CFLG), a government scheme for child development through better governance, has hit a snag in Kanchanrup municipality due to lack of sufficient budget.

The municipality, formed by including about nine villages, faces a paucity of funds to build child- friendly infrastructure and installing other facilities needed for maternal and child health, spaces for recreation and sanitary requirement.

Kanchanrup was announced a municipality a couple of years ago.

"Before it was announced as a municipality, Dharampur, one of the VDCs included in the municipality, was in the last stage of being declared as a CFLG village. The remaining areas in the municipality need to work a lot to attain the status of being 'child friendly'," said Bhawana Poudel, a member of Municipal Child Club Network. She has already served as the president of District Child Club Network and vice president of Regional Child Club Network.

The municipality is working to construct structures such as disable-friendly toilets, children park and declaring it as an open defecation free area but is running short of budget.

"We want a children's park, playground, a public library and public toilets here," demanded Manisha Kumari Yadav, another member of Municipal Child Club Network.

"We have emphasised on building child-friendly structures and organising capacity-building programmes for the children. But we don't have enough budget for them," said Ashok Yadav, a young engineer who leads the planning department at the municipal office.

The municipality has been struggling to reduce child marriage, child labour and child abuse. Similarly, it is still trying to become a defecation free area.

"The municipality has enforced a mandatory provision for the toilets. If anyone wants to get benefits and services from the municipal office, they must have a toilet in their home," said Yadav.

Like other villages in the district, there are child marriages in Kanchanrup. Manisha is one of the social campaigners against child marriage, who has not only raised voices against the social malady but also rescued some girls from getting married at an early age.

Child Club Network has staged street drama at 22 locations in the municipality. The drama, dialogues, costumes and acting were all organised and performed by the club.

Bhawana said that the street drama played a great role in creating awareness against child marriage. Now, children themselves report to the clubs and police if there are any cases of child marriage.

Children activism

Kanchanrup has school-level child clubs in 34 out of the 44 schools, ward level clubs in 11 wards and one municipal network.

They organise a child council once a year where they assemble in three groups – one of children below 12 years of age and two groups of males and females with children in the 12-18 age group.

They present things they don't like, give information about risky areas for children and how they could be developed in pictorial forms.

Children represent their clubs in the Ward Citizen's Forum, Municipal Council and Integrated Planning Formulation Committee. Bhawana was invited as the chief guest at the last Municipal Council which had become news across the district.

"We feel that our voices are being heard. We have become a stakeholder in the development works, and the School Management Committee, Ward Citizen's Forum and Municipal Office take us as their partner in development," said Sunil Kumar Sardar, a child club member.

They are especially proud of their success in reducing child marriage in their locality.

"We had successfully stopped one child marriage here and two other marriages were cancelled because of the first one," said Manisha.

Bhawana said that the child clubs were raising their voices against corporal punishment meted out in the schools, managing first aid boxes, including sanitary pads in schools, and planning for another street drama aimed at raising awareness about having toilets at home.

Rameshwor Yadav, District Committee member of Federal Socialist Forum, said that Kanchanrup needed to work hard to get rid of child labour and child marriage though both have been substantially minimised.

"We have been helping the child clubs in running a crusade against child marriage. Children have forced the political leaders to change their behaviour. Leaders have become more responsible and accountable because of the child clubs," he remarked.

Kanchanrup has a children's park. "The government and United Nations International Children's Fund (Unicef) provided some assistance in establishing the park," said Uttam Acharya, a journalist.

Unicef focal person for CFLG in Saptari Ashok Jha said that Unicef provided Rs. 800,000 in assistance to Kanchanrup last year and Rs. 500,000 this year.

Respect refugees' rights: Mahat

Kathmandu, Sept. 20: Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat Monday urged the international community to respect the right of Bhutanese refugees’ to return to their homeland.

Addressing the High Level Plenary Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), he said “While appreciating the host developed countries for resettling many Bhutanese refugees, he stressed that their right to return to Bhutan should be respected, as many who are still in refugee camps in Nepal are eagerly waiting for long to return,” Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations, New York said in a press statement.

He said, “The issues of political refugees couldn’t be resolved with the source countries taking a back bench. Resolving the issues related to the refugees is the responsibility of the country causing it and not the country where they are residing.”

The meeting on ‘Global Compact for safe, regular and orderly migration: towards realizing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and achieving full respect for the human rights of migrants’ was organized by the President of the General Assembly at the UN Headquarters in New York and organized in two plenaries and six parallel roundtables.

Dr. Mahat is leading Nepali delegation to the 71^st session of the UNGA.

He shed light on Nepal’s domestic policies and priorities on refugees and migrants while stressing on the need of global efforts to address this pressing issue.

Underlining that international migration was a multidimensional reality, the minister called for facing effectively in its entirety.

“Ensuring safe, orderly and regular migration and mobility of people was necessary through well planned migration policies, putting in perspective the various types and causes of migration,” he said.

Referring to the problems and issues of the economic migrants of which Nepal is one of the largest source country, Dr. Mahat stressed that remittances they earn was not without huge and long term social, cultural and environmental costs back home.

Highlighting the need of an effective rescue mechanism for the migrant workers in emergencies, he shared that Nepal promptly responds to such situation through immediate evacuation and other measures.

Speaking in another meeting on Climate Justice Dialogue, Minister Mahat called for international partnership and cooperation for adapting and mitigating the challenges posed by climate change.

“Climate change has further increased the vulnerabilities of the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Least Developed Countries and mountain countries like Nepal, putting them in difficult situations to cope the challenges,” he said.

OBOR will contribute in Nepal's development: Experts

Kathmandu, Sept. 18: If it materialises within a few years, China's ‘One Belt, One Road (OBOR)’ initiative will yield amazing advantages to Nepal.

Experts say that it would open new possibilities to tap the country’s potential in trade, tourism, transportation and diplomacy through technology transfer, high standard infrastructure and mobility.

“The OBOR strategy will help Nepal connect to the global value chain by developing world class infrastructure. It will bring tremendous benefits to the country, which we have hardly imagined,” said Prof. Dr. Surya Raj Acharya, an infrastructure expert.

OBOR is a strategy to develop transportation infrastructure connecting Europe and Asia, with its primary focus on connectivity and cooperation among the countries in the region.

Proposed by Chinese President Xi Xinping in 2013, it is also known as Belt and Road, Belt and Road Initiative, the Silk Road Economic Belt or the 21^st-century Maritime Silk Road.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also has been promoting the idea in Europe and Asia during his state visits.

OBOR will connect about 60 countries which lie on the ancient silk route in Central Asia, West Asia, the Middle East and Europe. It also includes Oceania and East Africa.

Source: www.chinainvestmentresearch.org

Nepal will be included in its sub-network of the link road and railway line that connect China and the ‘Road’.

 “The Chinese announcement to develop a high speed railway network up to Kerung by 2020 is a part of that strategy,” said Dr. Acharya.

According to him, the OBOR infrastructure would be of high standard and contribute to Nepal’s development.

 As the strategy includes the development of railway networks, Nepal can have an alternative route for international trade via China to Europe and the rest of the world.

“Distance does not matter for a high-speed train. It takes 14 to 30 days to bring goods from Kolkata port to Nepal while a high speed train can bring goods from Chinese ports in Sanya and Guangzhou in just 4-5 days,” said Dr. Acharya.

As the Chinese railway network is connected to the European and Russian networks, it will open new markets for Nepalese goods which will have a positive impact on foreign direct investment.

Foreign Affairs expert Hiranya Lal Shrestha said that OBOR would be a boon for the whole of South Asia.

“China is setting its eyes on the populous states of India, like Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh as they together make up a big market. India is a bit apprehensive about the strategy, but sooner or later it will join OBOR as it would benefit from the development with straight land access to China, the Middle East and Europe,” said Shrestha.

After India signed a security pact with the United States, South Asia has attracted global attention. India has linked OBOR with its security concerns.

 “China is in a global geopolitical tussle because of the Strait of Malacca, which happens to be the route for about 80 per cent of China’s international trade. Therefore, Indian apprehension is whether China is trying to develop OBOR as an alternative to the Malacca way,” Dr. Acharya said.

According to the experts, India considers OBOR not only as an infrastructure development initiative but also as a tool by China to impose its supremacy in South Asia.

But, sooner or later, India is expected to join the OBOR block.

“India had a different view on the Kodari road when Nepal started to build it. But, India thinks differently about it now. It has sought transit to Tibet through the Kodari road to supply goods,” said Shrestha.

Former secretary at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, Tulasi Prasad Sitaula, said that such development would help the country integrate into the global economy.

He said that the two road networks - Kakarbhitta to Mahendranagar and Birgunj to Tatopani - have already been included in the Asian Highway Network.

As Tatopani was damaged in the earthquake last year, preparations are underway to include Kerung in the strategy instead. 

Pun asks for reforms in UN system

Kathmandu, Sept. 18: Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun has underlined the need for reforms in the United Nations system.

Addressing the 17^th Summit Meeting of NAM at Margarita Island in Venezuela on Saturday, VP Pun said, “The reforms are needed in the UN in order to reflect the vastly transformed political reality of the present day world. And, while doing so, equal emphasis should be accorded to the third pillar of the UN – development, together with peace and human rights as they are all mutually reinforcing.”

He expressed Nepal’s unwavering faith in the fundamental principles and ideals of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and stated that non-alignment constituted one of the guiding principles of Nepal’s foreign policy, Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations, New York quoted him as saying in a press statement.

 “NAM is a voice for peace, justice and inequality, therefore it should position itself for the removal of entrenched and systematic inequalities and should continue to stand for global economic justice and shared prosperity for all,” VP Pun said.

He said that trade must contribute to reducing poverty and fostering growth.

"The tendency to evade from the Doha Development Agenda risks negating the development dividend of the multilateral trading and financial system, and the system must not fail to recognise the special and differentiated situation of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Land Locked Developing Countries (LLDCs) and should aim at supporting those countries that come forward,” he maintained.

He urged the developed countries to fulfill their commitments of providing 0.7 per cent of the Gross National Product (GNP) to the developing countries and 0.15 to 0.20 per cent of GNP to the LDCs as official development assistance (ODA).

VP Pun stressed on the need for assistance to the LDCs and LLDCs in particular to overcome structural challenges, eradicate poverty, and promote rapid, equitable and sustainable development.

He called upon the international community to translate the motto of Sustainable Development Conference – ‘leave no one behind’ into reality.

VP Pun expressed satisfaction over NAM’s evolution as a major inter-governmental forum of great moral strength, read the statement. 

Share market capitalization grows by 123 per cent

Kathmandu, Sept. 17: Nepalese securities market capitalization has increased by 123.33 per cent to Rs. 1,890 billion in the last fiscal year 2015/16.

According to the statistics published by the Securities Board of Nepal (SEBON), share market capitalization was Rs. 846 billion in the FY 2014/15.

"Although various indices of the market caught negative trend in the last fiscal, primary and secondary market indices witnessed noticeable improvement. About Rs. 18.99 billion was mobilized in the market last year which is 31.51 per cent higher than the previous year," said SEBON.

Approximately 53 companies opened public offerings through initial public offerings (IPO), right shares, further public offerings (FPO) and mutual funds last year. There was IPO by 12 companies, FPO by three companies, issue of right shares by 37 companies and mutual fund by one.

Last year, 21 commercial banks, 70 development banks, 19 finance companies, 16 insurance companies, 1 hydroelectricity, 3 hotels and 1 trading companies registered bonus shares equivalent to Rs. 21.5 billion.

Number of listed companies was reduced to 229 from 232 even though 15 new companies were listed in the stock market. Due to merger and acquisition, 18 companies were delisted from the Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE).

In the last fiscal year, securities equivalent to Rs. 163.95 billion were traded in the NEPSE. "This is 151 per cent higher than the FY 2014/15. Securities of about Rs. 706 million were traded every day in average."

SEBON has initiated various reforms in the capital market such as allowing the investors to observe the market-depth, depositing the cash bonus to the investor's bank account, and making the market more transparent. 

Economic agenda on priority: DPM Mahara

Kathmandu, Sept. 16: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Krishna Bahadur Mahara Friday said that the government had accorded top priority to the economic agenda.

Speaking at the 17^th annual general assembly of the Society of Economic Journalists of Nepal (SEJON), DPM Mahara said, "We spent decades in political movements. As a result, political reforms and rights have occupied centre space in the national agenda. We forgot the fact that political development can only sustain if there is economic development. Economy is a base upon which the superstructure of politics is built."

However, he maintained that as the politics needed to be purified in order to implement economic reforms and attain growth, the political parties and the government were more focused to the political reforms.

DPM Mahara said, "We are putting our efforts to develop competitive economic system."

Speaking on a different note, he urged the journalists for the fact-based reporting. "Fact-based journalism contributes to the economic development. Therefore, journalists should be more responsible and cautious while writing news."

Governor of the Nepal Rastra Bank Dr. Chiranjibi Nepal said that journalism had become irresponsible profession these days as some journalists were using media to fulfill their vested interests.

"Journalism is the profession involving educated, responsible and professionally competent individuals, but what we see in Nepal is anyone can be a journalist and can misuse its power for their self-interest," said Dr. Nepal.

He urged the SEJON to implement code of conduct to do away with anomalies besetting the journalism sector.

SEJON founder president Prateek Pradhan said that civil society in Nepal had become weak and politics a dirty game and therefore, journalism should do their best to improve the field.

The SEJON has developed a separate code of conduct for its members.

Biratnagar's success story in minimising child labour

Biratnagar, Sept. 15: Biratnagar Sub-Metropolitan City is a success story in minimising child labour.

It has successfully rescued more than 12,000 child labourers in the last one-and-a-half decades.

Now, there are 552 child labourers- 290 boys and 262 girls.

An industrial city with many manufacturing industries and having the third largest customs in the country, Biratnagar had more than 12,000 child labourers in 2000.

“We conducted a baseline survey to prepare basic data of child labourers in Biratnagar in 2000. In the following decade, we were successful in bringing down the number of child labourers to about 2,800,” said Dilli Dhimal, focal person for Child Friendly Local Governance (CFLG) in the Sub-Metropolitan City Office.

The City Office has conducted household survey and identified the child labourers in the first phase.

“After the identification of child workers, we started their rehabilitation process. A counseling campaign was launched to raise awareness against child labour and thousands of employers, families and children were encouraged to say ‘no’ to child labour,” said Rajesh Maskey, coordinator of United Tole Nagar Committee.

By the time, the city declared itself as having fully adhered to the CFLG in May 2016, it had approximately 552 child labourers.

It was the result of coordination with and cooperation from the political parties, child rights activists, employers, government agencies, non-government organisations and other stakeholders.

 Status of child labour in Biratnagar

Year	2010	2013	2014	2015
Boys	1,352	574	451	262
Girls	1,429	548	367	290
Total	2,781	1,122	818	552

                               Source: Biratnagar City Office

According to Dhimal, many child labourers were rehabilitated back in their families.

About 700 child labourers were rehabilitated in the past two years with the support from various stakeholders and Child Clubs.

The children, who have been reintegrated in their families, now go to school.

Likewise, various skill oriented trainings are being organised for children above 14.

“Some families need their children to work to eke out a living. In such cases, children of such families were trained in income generating skills,” said Shamim Alam, a child rights activist.  

But what worked well was the formation of Child Clubs and the Child Clubs Network.

The city had around 36 Child Labourers Clubs a decade ago.

Now it has only four of them while the number of school-level Child Clubs is 102, ward-level 22 and one municipal-level Child Club Network which is run by a 31-member working committee.

Paras Sharma, member of Municipal Child Clubs Network, said that the awareness in the part of children had played a crucial role in curbing down the practices of child labour, child marriage and other activities that were against the child rights.

“Because of the Child Clubs we are empowered to make plans and projects for ourselves, put them through the Municipal Council meeting and feel empowered,” he said.

Namita Neupane, member of CPN-MC Biratnagar, appreciated the role of Child Clubs in monitoring the child labourers.

Sagar Thapa of the CPN-UML remarked that the clubs had inspired them to be more responsible and accountable in terms of child rights and work against child labour.

In a crusade against child labour, Biratnagar started to declare hotels and restaurant as ‘child labour free’ and had put them up such stickers. No hotel and restaurant is allowed  to operate without such stickers.

Bimala Tiwari, member of Ward Citizens’ Forum, Ward No. 6, said, “The Child Clubs formulate very innovative plans for children. They proposed rehabilitating of street children and monitoringd child marriage.”

Journalists Gokul Parajuli and Dhruba Bhattarai appreciated the role of Child Clubs and other stakeholders in curbing child marriage. “Involving children in development planning empowers them. While working against child marriage, they have risked their lives,” they said.