Children as a Zone of Peace

This initiative has recognised that Nepali children are innocent victims of the conflict and that their human rights and rights to education should be highly respected.

Description

IHRICON has specifically considered children in the development of the programme, as school children in many areas have been heavily affected by the internal conflict in Nepal and many of them have dropped out of school. IHRICON tries to ensure that children are not affected by the conflict in any way, and that their rights to education should be fully respected.

The project involved training for local NGOs on human rights; training for journalists on the theme of “children as a zone of peace”; encouraging journalists to respect child rights violation cases; training the conflicting parties to protect children's rights during the conflict and respect human rights and humanitarian laws; and media monitoring on violations of women's and children’s rights during the conflict.

Aims / Objectives

To create a peaceful environment for school children during the conflict.

How it is Articulated

Training for local NGOs on human rights; training for journalists on the theme of “children as a zone of peace”; encouraging journalists to respect child rights violation cases; training the conflicting parties to protect children's rights during the conflict and respect human rights and humanitarian laws; and media monitoring on violations of women's and children’s rights during the conflict.

Achievements / Learning Points

Rights violation cases are reduced where security forces have been trained by IHRICON. Children are respected in those places by the security forces and the Maoists. Human rights violation cases are monitored and documented and then published in the media. Journalists are giving more coverage to the issue of child rights.

Geographical Area of Operation

Mostly in Nepal's mid and far-western regions.

Funding Resources

Save the Children, Norway.

Associated Organisations

National and Local: 4 district (Sindhuli, Gorkha, Dang and Kailali) branch organizations of IHRICON. It has networking with most of the human rights and media organizations in Nepal, Alliance Nepal, Civic Solidarity for Peace, Beyond Beijing Committee, Women Peace Network, Federation of Nepalese Journalists, Nepal Press Institute.

South Asian and International: South Asian Small Arms Network (SASA-Net), Regional Citizen Peace Commission- Regional Member Nepal, SAARC NGO women for Peace-Focal Point for Nepal, International Action Network for Small Arms (IANSA).