Kailali municipalities drafting local policy to protect rights of children with disabilities

Kailali: Three local levels in Kailali district are formulating a local policy focused on children with disabilities. Lamki Chuha Municipality, Tikapur Municipality, and Janaki Rural Municipality are preparing the policy in 2082, with draft discussions underway with support from Goodnews International Nepal.

The forthcoming policy is expected to legally safeguard the rights and dignity of children with disabilities and ensure their access to entitlements. “We are supporting the local policy formulation of all three municipalities of Kailali with the intention of making it easier for children with disabilities to live a dignified and respectful life,” said Arun Chaudhary, program coordinator of Goodnews International.

He stated that once the policy is enacted, children with disabilities will gain equal access to public services, facilities, and opportunities. Participants in the policy discussion, including blind residents Prabhunath Upadhyay of Lamki Chuha Municipality-5 and Chakra Bahadur Malla of Thapapur, said the policy would ease the lives of children with disabilities if effectively implemented. Devu Tamatta, a woman with mobility challenges, expressed satisfaction at being involved in the discussion and stressed the need for proper implementation.

Despite several laws and procedures being developed since the implementation of the local act in Lamki Chuha Municipality, the absence of a specific local policy for children with disabilities had created operational difficulties. Administrative Officer Sushma Mahata KC said, “There was a problem in doing the necessary work in the field of children with disabilities due to the lack of a necessary policy, and now it will be easier after this policy is formulated.” She confirmed that policy drafting is in its final stage.

The Constitution of Nepal guarantees the participation of persons with disabilities in all state bodies under the principle of inclusion and ensures their civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights. Officer KC said the municipality is preparing the policy to enforce constitutional provisions and protect these rights.

Mayor Sushila Shahi said the policy’s implementation will secure the constitutional entitlements of persons with disabilities. During the program, Tikapur Municipality Mayor Ramlal Dagoura Tharu, Janaki Rural Municipality Mayor Ganesh Chaudhary, Tikapur Deputy Mayor Juna Chaudhary, and others provided suggestions regarding the policy.

According to the National Census 2078, Nepal has 647,744 persons with disabilities, representing 2.2 percent of the population. Of the 69,677 persons with disabilities in Sudurpaschim Province, 22,465 are in Kailali district.

The municipalities drafting the policy—Lamki Chuha, Tikapur, and Janaki—have 2,740, 1,927, and 1,207 persons with disabilities respectively. Children under 18 make up 34.8 percent of Nepal’s population.