Nepal

Project: Promotion and Protection of the Rights of the Child Category: Livelihoods for children affected by conflict

Where?

Nepal is a landlocked country in South Asia and the world's youngest republic. It is bordered to the north by the Peoples Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India. With an area of 147,181 square kilometres (56,827 sq mi) and a population of approximately 30 million. Kathmandu is the nation's capital and the country's largest metropolitan city.

Why?

The Nepali Civil War was a conflict between government forces and Maoist rebels in Nepal, which lasted from 1996 until 2006. The impact of this ten-year civil war is worse in the Mid-Western Region, since this area was one of the poorest regions of Nepal even before the brutal decade-long conflict. Thousands of children were forcibly conscripted or became victims of rape, assault, and other forms of violence. In addition to suffering from psychological trauma, continuing political instability and violence have made life for children in this region particularly difficult. Their access to education, health care, and other basic services is severely limited. These children are more vulnerable to labour, sexual exploitation, living on the streets, or human trafficking.

What?

ADRA will contribute to the protection and promotion of the rights of former child soldiers and conflict affected children in Nepal. ADRA will accomplish this by reintegrating 4,000 former child combatants and conflict affected children and adolescents between the ages of 10-18 years in four districts in the Mid-Western Region of Nepal. The result will be improved literacy and job skills of the children and adolescents affected by armed conflict, especially vulnerable girls and adolescents. The project will also enhanced the quality and access to psychosocial support for 2,000 children affected by conflict, abuse, and exploitation.

How?

Children will complete six months of literacy training and learn basic or improved reading, writing, and math skills. ADRA will also offer life skills education included in the literacy classes, such as child labour, trafficking, human/women’s rights, and SGBV components. ADRA will also support children to receive education support (i.e. books, uniforms, registration fees, etc.) to continue their schooling. ADRA will also offer vocational training on income generation activities (i.e. goat raising, bamboo production, tailoring, carpentry, kitchen gardening, beekeeping). In addition, trainees will receive basic equipment and start-up support for new businesses, such as scissors, cloth, seeds, animals, and other materials. ADRA will also offer access to psychosocial counselling and help train district and community leaders (i.e. teachers, social workers, and health care providers) on the special needs of conflict-affected children, services available, and methods for referring children for counselling. ADRA is also planning to reach 50,000 people through national, district, and community awareness campaigns to improve their knowledge on child rights using different channels such as brochures, posters and radio programmes.

Who?

The project is co-financed by the European Commission and ADRA-UK.

When?

The project started on the the 1st of January 2010 and will last for 36 months.