Introducation
Children, including adolescents, are victims
of today's wars; they have also become deliberate targets and active
combatants. Millions are forced to flee their homes, become separated
from their families or die from preventable diseases. Years out
of school, experiences as child soldiers, injuries, breakdown of
community, and emotional and mental traumas all have long-term impacts.
While children are supposed to be protected by international law,
in reality they are not. About
Watchlist
Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict is a network of non-governmental
organizations (NGOs), including both operational humanitarian
and human rights agencies, working to document violations against
children in specific armed conflicts and urging action to protect
their security and rights. Watchlist also monitors the impact
of armed conflict on children, compiles reports about children,
including adolescents, and influences programs and policies to
improve their lives. It compiles information provided by a variety
of sources to inform and influence the UN Security Council, UN
and other international agencies, national governments and the
public to create policies and programs that protect children's
lives.
The Watchlist operates within the framework of
universal human rights principles, especially the Convention on
the Rights of the Child and its Protocols, other international
human rights and humanitarian treaties, and Security Council Resolutions
1261, 1314, 1379 and 1460.
Watchlist
Report includes:
Health, HIV/AIDS, Refugees and internally displace people, Landmines,
Small arms, Education, Child soldiers, Trafficking and exploitation,
Gender-based violence, Violation of international law
Recommendations for action.
Through its network of partners in the field, Watchlist
gathers, documents and disseminates reports depicting a spectrum
of abuses against children in specific armed conflict situations.
To date the Watchlist has produced seven comprehensive country
reports (available at www.watchlist.org)
and very soon (tentatively December 2004) will be producing a
report on Nepal.
Advisory
Team and Watchlist Steering Committee
An advisory team comprised of child rights experts, individuals
with expertise in a particular country situation, and members
of the Watchlist Steering Committee provide analysis and guidance
during the production of each Watchlist report.
Steering
Committee:
CARE International
Coalition to Stop the use of Child Soldiers
International Save the Children Alliance
Norwegian Refugee Council
Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children
World Vision International
The
advisory team for Nepal Report consist of individuals from following
organisation:
Save the Children-US in Nepal
Care Nepal
Concern Nepal
CARE International
Save the Children Alliance
Watchlist Steering
Capacity Building Pilot Projects
Watchlist is currently carrying out a series of capacity building
pilot projects with national and local Nepali NGOs in various
conflict areas, to strengthen their work in monitoring, reporting
and disseminating information about children and armed conflict
(CAC). The Capacity building pilot projects that are currently
undertaking are:
- A sweep of existing date- by Community Study
and Welfare Center (CSWC).
- Monitoring and advocacy training in Nepalgunj-
Save the Children- US
- Child soldier participatory research project-Concern
Nepal
- Watchlist report in comic book- Himalayan Human
Rights Monitors(INHURED)
Focal
Points for Nepal
- Focal Point for Watchlist communications, coordination
with other agencies and report launching at Kathmandu, Nepal:
Sama Shrestha, Care Nepal
- Focal Point for capacity strengthening
project: Anjalee Shakya, Save the Children-US
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The Watchlist on Children and Armed
Conflict is working on a new report on children and adolescents
in Nepal. We are planning to launch the final verion tentatively
during end of January 2004. |
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