After a notice issued by Kohalpur Municipality to clear informal settlements, an incident has come to light where children in school uniforms were made to participate in a protest rally.
A peaceful protest rally was organized on May 5, 2026, in front of the Area Police Office in Kohalpur, called by the Joint Struggle Coordination Committee of Landless and Informal Settlers. Participants joined the rally carrying banners and placards. During the protest, young school-aged children were seen participating in the rally while still wearing their school uniforms.
Concern and alarm have been expressed after a video related to the incident was circulated on the social media platform Facebook. According to observers, placing children at the forefront of protests and using them in such movements can be harmful from both psychological and safety perspectives. They also argue that this undermines the concept that “children are zones of peace.”
Following a directive from the Government of Nepal, Kohalpur Municipality had issued a 10-day notice to vacate the settlements. The participation of children in the protest organized in response to this notice has further increased public concern, according to residents.
Rajkumari Rajbhandari, chief of the Area Police Office Kohalpur, stated that the use of children in the protest is a serious matter and that necessary legal action will be taken against the organizers of the rally.
The rally started from various settlements and proceeded through Kohalpur Chowk before reaching the Area Police Office.
According to legal provisions, Section 21 of the Political Parties Act, 2017, prohibits the use of children in political activities. Similarly, Sections 7, 8, and 66 of the Act Relating to Children, 2018 provide that those who violate children’s rights in such a manner may face up to three years of imprisonment or a fine of up to Rs. 75,000.