Kathmandu: Over 50 former Maoist
combatants, including 19 women, in Nepal have received
vocational training as part of the United Nations`s programme
to rehabilitate and educate the former fighters.
The 51 ex-Maoist combatants, who were discharged from
UN-monitored cantonments, have completed graduation programmes
under the world body`s rehabilitation cum education effort, UN
Resident Coordinator in Nepal Robert Piper said.
Of them, 12 dischargees including six women, have
already received employment opportunities, Piper told the
media during an interaction programme.
Altogether 4,008 Maoist combatants have been
disqualified through the UN verification process.
Of them 2,394 were discharged in March and the
remaining 1,614 left the cantonments voluntarily.
Under the rehabilitation programme, run in
collaboration with the United Nations Children`s Education
Fund (UNICEF), nearly 500 others are receiving various
vocational training and educational support.
The duration of education programme varies from one
month to four years.
The UN has also provided Rs 100,000 to each one of
them as package support for their integration into the society
under the rehabilitation programme.
The UN is also closely monitoring the former child
soldiers that were once part of the rebel Army.
The UN provides educational support, opportunity to
start micro enterprise, provide vocational skills training and
health related training and education to the dischargees.
The aim of the monitoring is to provide the Special
Representatives of the Secretary General on Children and Armed
Conflict and the Security Council Working Group with
information on compliance of the Unified CPN-Maoist with the
terms and conditions of the Action Plan, according to the UN
humanitarian office in Nepal.
The monitoring is required for delisting of the
Maoists from a list of parties that recruit and use children
in armed conflict.
PTI
