KATHMANDU: The government will extend the child nutrition grant program to all 77 districts of the country.

Currently, the government has been distributing Rs. 532 as a child grant to children below five years old in 25 selected districts, as well as to children below five years old from Dalit households in all 77 districts.

Minister for Women, Children, and Senior Citizens, Bhagawati Chaudhary, outlined the ongoing efforts to broaden the scope of the nutrition grant program and increase the grant, as Rs. 532 is insufficient for nutritious food.

“We are dedicated to ensuring that every child in Nepal, regardless of their location, receives the essential nutrition support they need for healthy growth and development,” said Minister Chaudhary during her address at the event ‘Policy Dialogue on Social Protection and Child Grant in Nepal’ organized by the Social Protection Civil Society Network and INSP!R Nepal here on Tuesday.

The Constitution guarantees various social and economic rights, including the rights to social security for vulnerable groups consisting of children.

Article 43 of the Constitution preserves the fundamental right to social protection for all children.

Similarly, The Child Rights Act 2018 provides a bundle of rights to children, including the rights to a dignified life, appropriate care, nutrition, and free basic health services.

Director of the National Planning Commission, Loknath Bhushal, presented the provisions mentioned in the Integrated Social Protection Framework- 2080 and highlighted the role of governments, civil society organizations, and trade unions in implementing it.

Similarly, an expert of Social Protection Basant Raj Gautam presented the importance of investing in children and emphasized the overall status, need to increase child grant, and its future impact on the Nation.

Speaking at the program, Chairperson of the Women and Social Affairs Committee of the Federal Parliament, Kiran Kumar Shah, emphasized that the foundation of a ‘Prosperous Nepal and Happy Nepali’ is only possible if the government invests in children.

Ambar Bahadur Thapa, Chairperson of the Education, Health, and Information Technology Committee of the Federal Parliament, expressed concerns and advocated for universal access to education and healthcare for all children.

Federal Member of Parliament and CPN-UML Whip Sunita Baral emphasized that the investment made in the field of children is scattered, and it should be integrated while Coordinator of the Parliamentary Group for Child Rights and Federal Member of Parliament Ranju Kumari Jha emphasized the need to allocate social security allowances based on identified needs and prioritize investments in children.

She reiterated the importance of ensuring that resources are directed towards addressing the specific requirements of children, underscoring that doing so is crucial for their well-being and development.

Federal Member of Parliament Dayal Bahadur Shahi emphasized that in the context of Nepal Social Security Allowance program was initiated only recently; however, its effectiveness is evident, underscoring the importance of prioritizing the investment in children within the ambit of social security.

Ram Kumar Phuyal, a member of the National Planning Commission, said that in the next financial year and the next five-year interim plan, especially when more than 15 percent of the total budget of the federal government is spent on social security, that money should be focused on children and senior citizens, and the youth generation should be empowered by competition, production, and productivity.

He focused on giving priority to contribution-based social security to connect with independence and self-reliance, sustainability, and life cycle.

Members of Parliament and concerned members of political parties emphasized the need to bolster investments in children and integrate them into the broader social security framework.