NEW YORK -- The armed conflict in Nepal between the government and Maoist guerrillas is making victims of an increasing number of children, who have been subjected to a wide array of human-rights violations. Over the past several years, the U.N. Security Council has worked to develop a body of law intended to end such atrocities against children and hold the perpetrators accountable for their crimes.
Its most recent resolution (July 27) called for the United Nations to set up a mechanism to monitor and report on violations against children in armed conflicts. It also urged targeting measures -- or sanctions -- against parties to conflict that continue to violate children's rights. This resolution should be widely supported and effectively implemented.
As a result of the hostilities, more than 10,000 Nepalese have died and thousands have been displaced. Although the Nepalese government has strenuously denied charges of abuse, violations have been amply documented by independent organizations. In 2004, the Nepalese government admitted to "occasional aberrations" and renewed its pledge to its human-rights and humanitarian-law obligations.