According to Nepal’s Child Act 2075 (2018), child labour means the employment in physical or mental work of children below 18 years of age. Child labour is not only a violation of human rights but also a social crime and a curse of civilization. Child labour not only violates the fundamental rights of children; it also pushes their future into darkness. Child labour deprives children of the education they need to make their future better. Because of child labour, children lose the knowledge, training and skills they gain through education. Children working as child labourers are generally from uneducated, and poor families. Child labour is a common phenomenon in the country and is also considered a part of the socialization process (CBS 2011a). It is deeply rooted in the society with little concerns about its deleterious effects on children’s schooling and future productivity.

There is no specific research that has identified or adequately addressed the needs of young people who use drugs in Nepal and t here is a consensus among drug experts that drug use is rapidly increasing in urban areas of Nepal. Drugs are becoming more accessible and p eople are experimenting with drugs at a much earlier age, many as young as 12 or 13. The Sachetana Child C lub seeks to raise awareness of the issues by sharing a video they have made exploring drug use and its effects. Their research has also generaged the followin g key policy recommendations.

Child marriage is a violation of human rights, comprising the development of girls, putting them at risk of abuse and violence, and reinforcing the gendered nature of poverty. Despite attempts by Nepali government and non governmental organizations to end child marriage, Nepal still has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world. The Mohankanya Child Club at the Mohankanya Secondary School in Palpa decided to explore the issue of child marriage using art based methods. They created a film based on real stories of young people, and have used this both to raise awareness among their peers, families and communities, and to open dialogue with local decision makers. They have also developed the following recommendations:

Nepali legislation protects citizens including young people and children against all forms of discrimination. However, society still discriminates against people because of their gender or because of their caste. Young researchers in the Janapriya Chil d Club, Palpa, have explored the issue of discrimination, looking particularly at its root causes. Using art based methods, including street drama, music, photo collage, and a short film, Club members have engaged in dialogue with the Teachers’ and Parent s’ Association and developed an action plan for a campaign against discrimination. Their work has informed the following recommendations.

There are currently no public drug treatment facilities in Nepal, despite significant annual increase sin the number of drug users in the country. Treatment facilities are outsourced to private organizations and provided at a cost that is beyond the reach of most people. This means that legal provisions granting immunity from prosecution to those who enter drug treatment are denied to people who cannot afford it. With the majority of drug users below 20 when they first start using drugs, this issue has a major impact on young people. Our research explores the causes of drug use and suggests some key policy recommendations.

Despite legal protections both in the UN Convention of Children’s Rights and in the Constitution of Nepal caste based discrimination is still a prominent feature of Nepali society. People who are considered of low caste known as ‘Dalits’ or ‘untouchables’ are considered lesser human beings. They often face marginalization, social and economic exclusion, an d segregation in housing, with women and girls particularly vulnerable to different forms of abuse. Members of the Divyasewa Child club of Janajyoti Secondary School, Makwanur, decided to explore the issues surrounding caste based discrimination, using ar t based methods to understand different perspectives. This policy brief captures their findings and key policy recommendations.

Human trafficking poses a serious challenge to Nepal’s socioeconomic development, and peace building. This policy brief is based on arts based research carried out by young people and provides an outline of the research findings and recommendations to prevent human trafficking. These recommendations are intended to complement the work of the Government of Nepal and various organizations making efforts to prevent human trafficking . Our research has highlighted the need to raise awareness in communities and to make local government accountable for reducing human trafficking .

Nepali law prohibits child labour and has set targets to banish all types of child labour by 2025. Child labour is recognized as a violation of human rights, deprives children of education and impacts their future. However, despite this, recent data shows that over 15% of children in Nepal are engaged in child labour. Child club members of the Bhusaldanda secondary school explored the issue using art based methods to analyse the root causes and impact of child labour. The research shows that more needs to be done to raise awareness and to monitor the implementation of the legislation..