World Children’s Day marked championing equality and child rights

By TRN Online, Kathmandu, Nov 20: UNICEF, in partnership with the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) and the Embassy of Australia, marked World Children’s Day 2025 today with a special cricket event at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur.

The celebration highlighted the importance of child rights, gender equality and the power of sport to break barriers and inspire social change.

Observed globally every year on 20 November, World Children’s Day commemorates the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. It is UNICEF’s annual day of action for children, by children, calling on governments, communities and families to uphold every child’s right to learn, play, be protected and participate in decisions that affect their lives.

This year, UNICEF Nepal celebrated the day through the joint initiative “Leveling the Playing Field”—a partnership between UNICEF, CAN and the Embassy of Australia, that uses the reach and influence of cricket to promote equal opportunities for girls and boys across Nepal and ensure that adolescent girls stay in school, access essential services and participate fully in their communities.

The joint event provided a powerful platform to amplify children’s voices and spotlight the challenges many still face — including child marriage, early pregnancy, limited access to education and unequal opportunities for girls, according to a press release issued by the UNICEF.

“All we ask is a fair chance. Let girls learn, let girls choose and let girls lead. When you invest in us today, we can build a better tomorrow for everyone,” said Manushka Rana Magar, a 13-year-old girl studying in grade 7 at Shree Gamvir Samudra Setu Secondary School.

More than 300 children participated in the event, which included a friendly cricket match where children played alongside Nepal’s national women’s cricket team.

“I would like to thank CAN, the Ambassador of Australia, UNICEF and everyone for your presence. We are clearly seeing your love towards our country, the way you are engaging youth and empowering them,” said Honorable Minister for Youth and Sports Mr Bablu Gupta, who was the chief guest of the event.

Nepal is home to over three million adolescent girls — future leaders, innovators and change-makers. Yet one in three girls is still married before the age of 18, and more than 15 percent of girls eligible for upper secondary school have dropped out or never enrolled.

“Australia is proud to partner with UNICEF to support adolescent girls in Nepal—empowering them to stay in school, access health services and delay marriage and childbirth,” said Leann Johnston, Australian Ambassador to Nepal. “By investing in their education, skills and confidence, we are investing in Nepal’s future. Because when girls are empowered, communities grow stronger, families thrive and societies move forward together.”

Also speaking at the event was CAN President Chatur Bahadur Chand, who said, “At CAN, we have always believed that cricket is more than just a sport. It is a platform that builds confidence, discipline, teamwork and leadership — qualities that shape strong young citizens. Over the years, we have worked to bring cricket closer to communities — supporting school cricket, local tournaments, and youth engagement programmes that inspire the next generation of players, both girls and boys.”

UNICEF Representative to Nepal Alice Akunga extended appreciation to the Government of Nepal, the Cricket Association of Nepal, the Embassy of Australia, teachers, communities as well as children and young people for their commitment to advancing children’s rights and building an inclusive, equitable Nepal for every child.

“On behalf of UNICEF, I want to thank our partners — the Cricket Association of Nepal and the Embassy of Australia — for standing with us to empower girls and uphold children’s rights. And to all the children here today, I want to say: you are the changemakers of tomorrow. Keep dreaming, keep playing and keep raising your voices. The future belongs to you — and together, we can truly level the playing field,” UNICEF press release quoted Akunga as saying.

To mark World Children’s Day, UNICEF has also launched a U-Report poll inviting children and young people to share their views on child rights and help shape solutions that matter to them. The new Child Rights Poll available on Viber, WhatsApp and Messenger, empowers children and young people across the world to speak up, be heard and contribute directly to building a safer, more inclusive future for every child.