Among the most egregious child rights violations, an estimated 300,000 child soldiers are involved in armed conflicts. Although a number of countries have undertaken demobilization and reintegration programs for child soldiers, there remains a dearth of documentation and dissemination of program experience and best practice to guide the countries.The 1996 United Nations Study on the Impact of Armed Conflict on Children, 1 backed by extensive research from non-governmental organizations, played a crucial role in demonstrating the global problem of child 
soldiers. Most welcome is the May 2000 Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which raises the minimum age for participation in armed conflict from fifteen to eighteen years. Determining best practice with child soldiers is an ongoing effort. And for program practitioners, it is often difficult to translate a list of best practice principles into local application. Concerted efforts and funding are needed to evaluate, document, and disseminate lessons. In addition to disseminating program experience, that of national program practitioners should also be supported in staff and program exchanges.The UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN), that has been Monitoring and supervising the arms and combatants of the PLA, said last 2 years that it had verified the fighters and found that out of over 31,000 registered soldiers, only around 19,600 were eligible to stay on and be eventually integrated with the state army. However, there are over 4,000 disqualified soldiers, the bulk of who were recruited as child soldiers.A report by the UN secretary-general, 'Children and armed conflict in Nepal', said that the Maoists, despite signing a peace pact, were continuing to recruit minors. Initial investigations found over cases of child recruitment in September 2006.Though UNMIN and other UN agencies had been urging the Maoists to release the disqualified combatants from the cantonments; the former guerrillas ignored the calls.UNICEF has volunteered to oversee the rehabilitation of the child soldiers. However, the government still needs to formulate a policy to safeguard the future of the other combatants, who have to be discharged because they were recruited after the peace pact.The Maoists claim they did not recruit minors in the PLA, which fought a savage war against the state for 10 years until democracy was ushered in and the king toppled. The UN Mission in Nepal, that was asked to assist in the peace negotiations and supervise the arms and combatants of the Maoists, in 2007 verified the number of guerrillas in the PLA and found that almost 3,000 fighters were recruited while they were fewer than 18. Therefore, according to the peace pact, these were to be discharged immediately.UNMIN, UNICEF and its partners should have access to these children to make sure that they receive their rights to recovery and reintegration. An earlier report issued by the Office of the UN Human Rights Commissioner in Nepal had noted that some child soldiers who left the PLA cantonments to join their families were tracked down by the Maoists and pressured to return to the camps.The successful (April) elections signal that the people of Nepal are entering a hopeful phase for peace and prosperity. However, the promise of peace has not come to fruition for these children, whose lives have been adversely affected by the conflict. The envoy says that a key element of such a peace is to ensure that children formerly associated with armed forces or groups share the peace dividends and receive suitable support for their reintegration into society. There are nearly 19,000 bona fide soldiers in the PLA. A new agreement says they would be integrated into the state army within six months after the formation of a new government. Prabhakar Sharma, Former deputy commander of the PLA and a Minister of Peace and Reconciliation, promising that the process of integration as well as discharge of the child soldiers would start once a commission was formed. The commission is to include representatives from the government as well as the PLA and the Nepal Army.UNICEF Nepal, said early intervention was critical for the normal development of children employed in the conflict, even with the peace process. If Government doesn’t act now, it could be too late. Activists were planning to strongly lobby for a child-DDR process.“For a start, need to be both sides to make a public appeal that they would begin the process and ensure safe return and provisions, including free education, for these children.Demobilization, Disarmament and Reintegration (DDR) programs specifically aimed at child soldiers have been established in many countries, both during and after armed conflict and have assisted former child soldiers to acquire new skills and return to their communities. However, the programs lack funds and adequate resources. Sustained long-term investment is needed if they are to be effective in Nepal.Programs need to establish long term follow up to accompany children after they leave the Cantonment . It would certainly make sense to visit more regularly those children who have reintegrated into their communities, and especially to assist those who have started their own revenue-generating activities. This aspect is completely neglected by the operational framework when in fact it is the measure of the success of the undertaking.Reintegration is the process by which ex-combatants acquire civilian status and gain sustainable employment and income. Reintegration is essentially a social and economic process with an open time-frame, primarily taking place in communities at the local level. It is part of the general development of a country and a national responsibility, and often necessitates long-term external assistance.
soldiers. Most welcome is the May 2000 Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which raises the minimum age for participation in armed conflict from fifteen to eighteen years. Determining best practice with child soldiers is an ongoing effort. And for program practitioners, it is often difficult to translate a list of best practice principles into local application. Concerted efforts and funding are needed to evaluate, document, and disseminate lessons. In addition to disseminating program experience, that of national program practitioners should also be supported in staff and program exchanges.The UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN), that has been Monitoring and supervising the arms and combatants of the PLA, said last 2 years that it had verified the fighters and found that out of over 31,000 registered soldiers, only around 19,600 were eligible to stay on and be eventually integrated with the state army. However, there are over 4,000 disqualified soldiers, the bulk of who were recruited as child soldiers.A report by the UN secretary-general, 'Children and armed conflict in Nepal', said that the Maoists, despite signing a peace pact, were continuing to recruit minors. Initial investigations found over cases of child recruitment in September 2006.Though UNMIN and other UN agencies had been urging the Maoists to release the disqualified combatants from the cantonments; the former guerrillas ignored the calls.UNICEF has volunteered to oversee the rehabilitation of the child soldiers. However, the government still needs to formulate a policy to safeguard the future of the other combatants, who have to be discharged because they were recruited after the peace pact.The Maoists claim they did not recruit minors in the PLA, which fought a savage war against the state for 10 years until democracy was ushered in and the king toppled. The UN Mission in Nepal, that was asked to assist in the peace negotiations and supervise the arms and combatants of the Maoists, in 2007 verified the number of guerrillas in the PLA and found that almost 3,000 fighters were recruited while they were fewer than 18. Therefore, according to the peace pact, these were to be discharged immediately.UNMIN, UNICEF and its partners should have access to these children to make sure that they receive their rights to recovery and reintegration. An earlier report issued by the Office of the UN Human Rights Commissioner in Nepal had noted that some child soldiers who left the PLA cantonments to join their families were tracked down by the Maoists and pressured to return to the camps.The successful (April) elections signal that the people of Nepal are entering a hopeful phase for peace and prosperity. However, the promise of peace has not come to fruition for these children, whose lives have been adversely affected by the conflict. The envoy says that a key element of such a peace is to ensure that children formerly associated with armed forces or groups share the peace dividends and receive suitable support for their reintegration into society. There are nearly 19,000 bona fide soldiers in the PLA. A new agreement says they would be integrated into the state army within six months after the formation of a new government. Prabhakar Sharma, Former deputy commander of the PLA and a Minister of Peace and Reconciliation, promising that the process of integration as well as discharge of the child soldiers would start once a commission was formed. The commission is to include representatives from the government as well as the PLA and the Nepal Army.UNICEF Nepal, said early intervention was critical for the normal development of children employed in the conflict, even with the peace process. If Government doesn’t act now, it could be too late. Activists were planning to strongly lobby for a child-DDR process.“For a start, need to be both sides to make a public appeal that they would begin the process and ensure safe return and provisions, including free education, for these children.Demobilization, Disarmament and Reintegration (DDR) programs specifically aimed at child soldiers have been established in many countries, both during and after armed conflict and have assisted former child soldiers to acquire new skills and return to their communities. However, the programs lack funds and adequate resources. Sustained long-term investment is needed if they are to be effective in Nepal.Programs need to establish long term follow up to accompany children after they leave the Cantonment . It would certainly make sense to visit more regularly those children who have reintegrated into their communities, and especially to assist those who have started their own revenue-generating activities. This aspect is completely neglected by the operational framework when in fact it is the measure of the success of the undertaking.Reintegration is the process by which ex-combatants acquire civilian status and gain sustainable employment and income. Reintegration is essentially a social and economic process with an open time-frame, primarily taking place in communities at the local level. It is part of the general development of a country and a national responsibility, and often necessitates long-term external assistance.
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