KATHMANDU: The Nepal Paediatric Society (NEPAS) has called on all the political parties to utilize the upcoming election to the House of Representatives as an opportunity to ensuring child health and rights.

Through a press release it issued today, NEPAS has urged political parties to include in their election manifesto child-friendly policies, programs and adequate investment provisions to fully realize the country’s long-term development.

NEPAS states that since the manifesto presented by political parties determines the future direction of the country, it is essential to include child health and child rights as a national agenda.

Nepal has called for including child health as a national priority in the election manifesto, making adequate public investment in maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health, advancing multi-sectoral programs to end malnutrition, and ensuring equal access to free and quality health services for all children.

It has also been emphasized that legal and institutional mechanisms should be strengthened to end violence against children, child marriage and child labor. The Society said that child-friendly policies, plans and budgets should be ensured at all levels of the federal structure.

NEPAS President Dr Arun Kumar Neopane urged all political parties to provide clear, measurable, and implementable commitments to child health and child rights in their election manifestos, stating that child-friendly policies, programmes, and development are not possible without investment.