Kathmandu – Chairperson of the Women and Social Committee, Kiran Kumar Sah, has stated that the situation has necessitated an amendment to the child marriage law even before seven years have passed since its enactment. Speaking at a discussion program organized on Wednesday by the Forum for Women, Law and Development (FWLD) with support from UNICEF, Sah emphasized, “In a changing society, time-appropriate lawmaking is a necessity.”

Chairperson Sah noted that none of the child correctional homes in Nepal currently meet the required standards. He added that children living in these homes are at risk, with minimal access to adequate food, sleeping arrangements, and other basic physical facilities.

The First Amendment Bill on Children, which is set to be tabled in the House of Representatives after clause-wise discussions in the thematic committee, is said to incorporate several new, timely provisions that align with international treaties and agreements. Sah emphasized that the bill is not driven by any vested interest but is time-sensitive and focused on child welfare. He asserted, “Child marriage is something that cannot even be imagined.”

During the program, Members of Parliament were briefed on the existing Child Act through audiovisual materials. FWLD Executive Director, Advocate Sabin Shrestha, presented the amendment bill and stated that it is primarily centered on juvenile justice. He said the bill includes many new provisions and that additional amendments could further improve it.

Suggestions presented included the need to define new terms such as “displacement,” to clearly distinguish between orphans and found children, to avoid discrimination in determining a child’s surname, to clarify the legal age for engaging in hazardous work, and to ensure the right to privacy. Other recommendations included preventing the use of children for religious conversion, establishing clear laws on juvenile court benches, and incorporating suggestions from the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

Advocate Bidhan Khaniya explained the context and content of the bill during its preparation. He also informed participants about the addition of more child correctional homes and discussed the problems arising due to the lack of authority for the juvenile bench to set bail.

Likewise, Shriram Adhikari from the Child Rights Council urged lawmakers to consider Sections 43 and 24 of the Act. UNICEF representative Ram Prasad Gautam recommended replacing “child psychologist” with “child counselor” in Section 62. He also pointed out the bill’s silence on cyber violence against children.

Lawmakers participating in the event said that the suggestions made it easier to consider further amendments to the bill. Ranjukumari Jha from the Janata Samajwadi Party remarked that the discussion helped clarify some ambiguous provisions of the bill. MP Pratiksha Tiwari noted that the program would have been more impactful if victims had been present to share their experiences.

The program, chaired by FWLD President Geeta Aryal, was moderated by Advocate Dipesh Shrestha. Senior Advocate Meera Dhungana stated that the purpose of organizing the discussion was to inform lawmakers about the gaps in the amendment bill to the Children’s Act, 2075 (2018). She added that the program aimed to disseminate the contents of the bill and necessary amendments to the general public.