Former child soldiers in Nepal to be monitored

Stating that there were still challenges in implementing the action plan to rehabilitate former child soldiers in Nepal, the United Nations has called for creation of a separate mechanism.

Stating that there were still challenges in implementing the action plan to rehabilitate former child soldiers in Nepal, the United Nations has called for creation of a separate mechanism.

HT Image

The UN proposal comes amid allegations that despite the official discharge of thousands of former child soldiers as per the action plan, many of them are still under command of the Maoist army. A UN team on visit to Nepal mentioned the concern to the Maoist leadership who in turn has agreed to verify the allegations on the field.

“This will be a matter that will be dealt with by the mechanism that will be established,” Claude Heller, Chairperson of the Security Council working group on children and armed conflict said here on Friday.

Despite UN pressure, the release of these child soldiers was not taken seriously by the Maoist leadership previously.