Nepal, June 30 -- Young people and students have stood at the forefront of every major political movement in Nepal. From the end of the Rana regime, the 1990 People's Movement, the decade long Maoist insurgency, and the 2006 People's Movement, children and students were often seen carrying party flags, distributing pamphlets, and taking part in political activities alongside adults.

Yet, more than 15 years after Nepal became a federal democratic republic and declared schools as "Zones of Peace," the practice of involving children in partisan politics has not fully ended. Despite strong legal safeguards for child rights, political parties continue to draw minors into their organizations for political purposes. The government officially d...