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Nepal: Human Rights

Volume 461: debated on Tuesday 19 June 2007

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support the UK is making available to assist the second phase of monitoring Maoist army personnel in Nepal to ensure that no child soldiers are serving. (143225)

Under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed in Nepal in November 2006, both sides to the conflict have agreed not to include or use children under 18 years of age in the armed forces. The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) have agreed that any children in the cantonment camps who are identified under phase II of the UN monitoring process will be removed to the care of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and partner agencies to arrange their return home and reintegration into civilian life.

Through the Global Conflict Prevention Pool, the UK has recently provided £150,000 to support UNICEF's programme for the reintegration and rehabilitation of child soldiers. In addition, we have provided funding and technical expertise to help with the arms verification process.