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UN welcomes release of child soldiers by Maoists in Nepal
The United Nations has welcomed the release of the final batch of nearly 3,000 child soldiers, who served in the Maoist army during the decade-long civil war in Nepal.
Children in Nepal
Close to 270 individuals released at a ceremony in Rolpa included those who joined the Maoist army as minors.
They had remained in temporary camps for three years after the signing of the 2006 peace agreement that ended the conflict between the government forces and Maoist fighters in Nepal.
UNICEF's representative in Nepal Gillian Mellsop said the release is "a milestone for these young men and women who spent their formative years inside a military structure losing out on critical skills vital for adulthood."
Before being discharged, the young people are briefed by the United Nations on options for their new lives, given civilian clothes and identity cards.
They are also given the opportunity to gain new skills by attending school or training for a trade as part of a rehabilitation programme run by the government with United Nations support.
Bissera Kostova, United Nations.
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