Not giving two hoots about the repeated calls from child rights activists, the election code of conduct and their own commitments, various political parties on Wednesday were found using children in their rallies as they proceeded towards the election offices in Rautahat to file nominations for the September 18 local elections in Province 2.

The Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, CPN (Maoist Centre) and the Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal among others were found using children in their rallies in major thoroughfares of the district.

In Garuda Municipality, children on a tractor hired by parties were forced to chant party slogans. Some of them were in their school uniform while others were given T-shirts with party flags to wear.

Archana Sahani, a ninth grader at Shree Secondary School in Gaurikoti, Garuda, said classes were called off after lunch. “The teachers said school was over. Then we joined the rally,” said Sahani.

After the floods destroyed classrooms of many schools in the district, classes are being run under temporary huts. But not many children go to the school these days, said locals, adding that the parties have taken advantage of the situation and are using children in election campaigns.

Political parties in the country have long been using children in their rallies, election campaigns and protests. Following calls from organisations working in the field of child rights, parties have in the past made commitments not to use children in their programmes. But whenever there are rallies, protests and elections, political parties tend to forget their pledges. Ironically, child rights activists say, parties and their leaders who often seek votes with the promise that they would work to ensure children’s rights don’t fail to use children in their campaigns.

Nepal is also a signatory to various international instruments and guidelines that bar political parties from using children in their campaigns, rallies, assemblies and protests.

District Education Officer Rambinaya Singh said he had instructed all the schools not to let students participate in political rallies. “I will seek clarification if the schools are found guilty,” said Singh, adding that schools cannot allow their students to join parties’ campaigns for elections.