Online form to report use of children in elections launched

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Apr. 29: National Child Rights Council (NCRC) has developed online Google form to immediately report about the use of children in elections by violating the code of conduct.

Organising an interaction programme titled ‘Child rights monitoring in local election -2022: justification and priority’ by NCRC on Wednesday, the Council asked civil society, child rights activists and election observers to register complaint through online Google form if they find child rights violation in the election campaign.         

The apex child rights body NCRC has asked poll authorities to prohibit the use of children in the election campaign in any form, taking serious view of minors being engaged in various activities such as sloganeering and circulation of pamphlets by violating their rights. 

NCRC’s executive director Milan Raj Dharel said that use of children in the election campaign is against the child rights so all the people are requested to inform the Council about the misuse of minors by registering via the online form. 

The Council has taken use of children in election activities seriously and had taken cognizance upon these complaints in the past seeking action in such matters, he said. 

Several laws, articles and international agreements have ensured the rights of children but several poll authorities have been found using children from the nomination period until post-election even though such activities are strongly prohibited. 

The Council has recommended the political parties, civil society and other stakeholders to take note of this growing concern and issue an advisory to prohibit the use of children during election campaign in any form whatsoever, either for distribution of posters/pamphlets, pasting posters or to participate in slogan shouting, campaign rallies, election meetings, etc. including pasting posters, hanging banners, distributing pamphlets and even participating in campaign rallies, he said. 

The council will observe whether the children are used in the pre-election, during the election and post-election activities for sloganeering, circulating pamphlets and in election campaigns.