Good Neighbors International Nepal in collaboration with Jagriti Child and Youth Concern Nepal organized a national level Stakeholder Dialogue on Contemporary Child Protection Concerns in Nepal among children, representatives from Ministries, national and international non-governmental organizations and national networks working with children, child rights activists, donors, development partners and media  on 16 November 2017 in Kathmandu in the lead-up to the Universal Children’s Day 2017.

The Dialogue provided a forum for discussing the current child protection scenario, stakeholders’ roles in the present and future; and helped children raise voice on their issues through art exhibition and performances, and to reach-out to the duty-bearers.

Honorable Anup Raj Sharma, Chairperson, National Human Rights Commission graced the event as the Chief Guest and Gauri Pradhan, former member, National Human Rights Commission and child rights activist moderated the program. Keynote speakers and themes are as follows;

1. Radihka Aryal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare – Child and women trafficking
2. Tarak Dhital, Director, Central Child Welfare Board – Child protection policies, challenges, and opportunities
3. Bijaya Subedi, Under Secretary, Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development – Child protection under local government
4. Kiran Rupakheti, Program Director, National Planning Commission – Cooperation between the public and private sector for ending child labor
5. Milan Dharel, Assistant Professor, Kathmandu School of Law – Addressing violence against children in new structure in Nepal
6. Bhola Dahal, Country Director, Search For Common Ground – Education and child labor

Panelists discussed contemporary and emerging child protection issues in Nepal and suggested way-forwards.

The program saw a participation of around 400 representatives in total from 5 government agencies, 75 national NGOs, 14 INGOs, networks of organizations working for children, child club graduates,  eight social work colleges,  various child-club networks, and 130 children from 30 public schools in Kathmandu and Lalitpur districts.

Members of five child clubs schools performed songs, dances, skits and recited a poem that carried the themes of child rights and child protection. These performances were well-received by the duty-bearers present.

All participants also expressed their solidarity to child protection by affixing their signature on a white canvass.