Kathmandu, May 11 — Stakeholders of the government agencies, Parliament, civil society organizations, development partners and child rights activists have called for the nationwide expansion of Nepal’s Child Nutrition Grant and stronger investment in children. They have emphasized that child-focused social protection is essential for reducing poverty, improving nutrition and ensuring long-term national development.
The demand was raised during a policy dialogue on “Social Protection and Child Grant” organized in Kathmandu by Social Protection Civil Society Network (SPCSN) on May 10.
The event brought together more than 25 Members of Parliament from the House of Representatives and National Assembly, senior government officials, representatives from various ministries, development partners, civil society networks and journalists.
Participants emphasized that the Child Nutrition Grant should not be viewed merely as financial assistance, but as a long-term investment in human capital and the nation’s future. They stressed that expanding the programme to all 77 districts would contribute significantly to reducing child malnutrition, supporting brain development, encouraging birth registration, improving access to health services and promoting social justice and equality.
The discussion highlighted the continuing nutrition crisis among Nepali children. According to the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2022, 25 percent of children under five suffer from stunting, 19 percent are underweight, 8 percent suffer from wasting and 43 percent are affected by anemia.
Speakers warned that despite improvements in recent decades, child nutrition remains a serious public health challenge in Nepal.
Participants noted that the Child Nutrition Grant has been helping poor families purchase nutritious foods such as milk, fruits and eggs, thereby contributing to healthier childhood development. They said that investing in children is also critical for breaking the cycle of poverty and ensuring sustainable economic growth.
Currently, the Government of Nepal provides a monthly Child Nutrition Grant of Rs. 532 to children under five years of age in 25 districts with low Human Development Index rankings and to Dalit children nationwide. The programme originally began in fiscal year 2066/067 with a monthly allowance of Rs. 200 for children in the former Karnali region and Dalit children across the country.
Presenting at the programme, Bijaya Kumari Prasai, Director at the National ID and Civil Registration Department, stated that the Article 39 of the Constitution of Nepal guarantees children’s rights, including the right to nutrition, as fundamental rights. She noted that the Constitution also ensures special protection and support for children living in vulnerable conditions. She stated that the Government of Nepal is currently providing social security allowances under eight categories to around 3.6 million beneficiaries, with approximately 6 percent of the total national budget allocated to these expenditures.
Presenting on the status of social protection in Nepal and the future direction of child grants, Dr. Prakash Kumar Shrestha, former Vice-Chairperson of the National Planning Commission, said that around 32 percent of Nepal’s population currently benefits from social protection programmes. He highlighted Sustainable Development Goal 1.3, which calls for establishing appropriate social protection systems for all by 2030, particularly for poor and vulnerable communities.
Dr. Shrestha said Nepal’s Child Nutrition Grant and school midday meal programmes have played important roles in improving child nutrition and reducing poverty. He added that the government has been operating midday meal programmes in community schools from Early Childhood Development classes to Grade 5, which directly supports children’s nutrition and school attendance.
Similarly, Chakra Bahadur Budha, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens, said the government has been working actively to end child marriage and introduce child-responsive budgeting. He added that the ministry is also preparing procedures aimed at making Nepal free from street children through rescue and rehabilitation initiatives.
Although there is a growing consensus that child protection grants should be universal, Budha acknowledged that the programme currently cannot reach all children due to resource constraints. He emphasized that poverty remains the root cause behind many social problems and called for collective efforts to eradicate poverty across the country.
Shankar Adhikari informed participants that the government has proposed an annual budget of Rs. 9.53 billion for the school midday meal programme this year. He noted that while some local governments have expanded the programme up to Grades 8–10 using local resources, such expansion has not yet been possible nationwide.
Ram Bahadur Chand from the National Child Rights Council argued that social protection programmes should be distributed fairly and equitably to all children in need. He said the current system does not appear fully just in the context of children’s rights and welfare.
Member of Parliament Sajida Siddiki raised concerns over why children from poor families continue to drop out of school midway through their education. She stressed the need to understand the real condition of children and pay greater attention to humanitarian aspects of policymaking.
Likewise, Member of Parliament Bishnumaya Bishwakarma said the Child Nutrition Grant should prioritize children from economically vulnerable households who need the support the most. She emphasized that social security allowances should be distributed based on economic conditions and actual need.
Member of Parliament Gyanu Paudel also stressed the need to expand the Child Nutrition Grant to children in all 77 districts and increase the amount, stating that the current allowance is far too low to meet nutritional needs. She further emphasized the importance of stronger monitoring and verification mechanisms.
Speakers at the event noted that around 90 percent of brain development takes place before the age of five, making early childhood nutrition one of the most critical investments a country can make. They warned that failure to address malnutrition could undermine Nepal’s future human capital and economic productivity.
Participants strongly recommended extending the midday meal programme up to Grade 10 across the country, implementing child protection standards in schools, institutionalizing child budget codes and strengthening the overall child protection system.
Officials and lawmakers also stressed the need to promote child-friendly and nutrition-friendly governance in order to contribute to building a child marriage-free, child labour-free and discrimination-free society.
The Government of Nepal has set a target of reducing child malnutrition to zero by 2030. Participants noted that the High-Level Economic Reform Recommendation Commission formed in 2081 B.S. had also recommended increasing investment in children as part of broader economic and social reforms.
The programme concluded with a strong collective call for the upcoming national budget and policy agenda to prioritize children more aggressively through expanded social protection measures, increased investment in nutrition and education and stronger child-responsive governance systems.
The event was chaired by Gopal Thapa Magar, Chairperson of SPCSN. The programme was facilitated by child rights activist and former SPCSN Chairperson Tilottam Paudel, while SPCSN General Secretary Kunda Sharma delivered the vote of thanks.