Pokhara, January 31, 2017: Every year Nepal government releases the national budget for the bringing new development plans, and the budget goes to every part of the nation for development work. Among the various sectors for which the budget is allocated, Nepal government has been allocating 10% budget in the sector of children. Now, the Nepal government has adopted Child-Friendly Local Governance (CFLG) Act, as per which 15% of the budget must be allocated for the sectors relating to children.
On this background, a Children’s conference was organized in Pokhara last Saturday and Sunday to discuss Children’s development plans in the region. More than 30 children comprising of street children, laboring children, VDCs children, and the children from different child clubs participated the programme.
Authorities from various offices and organizations were invited for the conference. The stakeholders present on the programme put forward their words on the importance of child conference for the planning of child development.
Similarly, the children participating in the event also made the plan on the basis of Social Development, Physical Development and Act Development (new rules).
On the second day of the conference, the children participants shared their thoughts and views about the budget and child development plans. In the session moderated by Kunjani Pariyar and Keshav Poudel, the participants were divided into different groups and were given to discuss and write the most important needs for the development of children. All the groups of children discussed together and finally, made a presentation in front of the mass, prioritizing the plans for children.
Making children plans from child conference before the District Council every year is one of the most important factors of Child-Friendly Local Governance. This has been implemented since few years in Kaski district. Children themselves make the children plan, which is for children themselves. These child plans will be taken to the district planning process meeting where the child representative represents and it will come as a planning in the next fiscal year, 2017/18.
The conference concluded with a hope and optimism that these plans will be implemented well in coming future.
By Deepak BK
