After the restoration of the Multi-Party democracy system in Nepal in 1990. His Majesty's Government of Nepal ratified the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child. The new constitution of Nepal, in conjunction with the U.N. Convention, banned any form of child slavery in Nepal. We now have the Children's Act 1992, its by laws 1994 and amended Labour Act 1992 in addition. These acts strongly prohibit any form of child labour and child exploitation. However despite the existence of these child rights protection acts, millions of children are still forced to work under slave like conditions for their day today survival.

CONCERN for Children and Environment Nepal (CONCERN) is a non-profit and social organisation whose principal aim is to improve the living conditions of underprivileged children in Nepal. The concept of CONCERN was developed in 1993, by a group of child rights activists and environmentalists dedicated to lessening the plight of children living under difficult conditions.

 

Concern's research activity began in 1994 by conducting a survey on the situation of child porters in Kathmandu valley with the support of Child Workers in Asia (CWA) based in Bangkok. At present, CONCERN has been implementing various action programs with the joint support from Save the Children-Norway and Save the Children- UK regarding children and their environment in ward No. 13 and 15, Kathmandu. As part of its action programmes, CONCERN runs a child center and the main aim of the center is to prevent underprivileged children from becoming street children as well as to provide an opportunity for their overall growth. Besides, it has an Emergency Shelter Home to provide temporary service to the children in the crisis situation and a Child Porter removal and rehabilitation center. The second phase of the program for the child porters was started form November 1998. As this organization is based on community, CONCERN implements different activities according to the advice and suggestion given by the community.