3 Conclusion
Life for many children was pathetic during the 11 years of conflict between Maoists and government forces. Even if we just study the condition of students at Shanti Sewa School in Kathmandu, we can get a sense of how children were affected.

The conflict disrupted the education of thousands of students. Many moved to cities in search of a suitable environment to study, and some lived lonely lives without their families. Some of those who went alone were burdened with household work rather than studies. Often they were easy victims for sexual harassment by soldiers from both sides.

The Army killed double the number that the Maoists did. But Maoists often forced villagers to cook for them, give ‘donations’ or, especially, participate in their programs. Those activities forced many people to flee their villages. Some villages were left with almost no men, which made their wives’ lives very miserable. Migration to cities often seemed to make life harder, with some families of up to seven people forced to live squeezed into small rooms.

The students were full of fear when they saw their teachers and relatives being mistreated. Many carried these traumas with them when they moved to cities, and till today cannot concentrate on their studies. Those students are not getting proper psychological treatment in all of the schools. Unfortunately, instead of resuming their education, some of those former students were found working as laborers, ignored by their neighbors and at risk of further mental and physical abuse.

Records reveal that many of the students are falsely designated as orphans and taken to cities in the name of education, the government remains quiet. The schools however, should ensure that when students apply they provide them with essential information, like name and address. Schools also must keep proper records.

Psychological counseling is necessary for the orphans, and education is necessary for children who have been displaced due to various reasons. People tend to ignore small children working as laborers, which is making their future bleak. Instead of ignoring, they should be informing such children about their rights.

It has been revealed that some children were trafficked. Their families were convinced that they were being taken to the city to study, but instead they were sold. In the future before parents put their children in the care of these ‘guardians’, they must know what is planned for their children.

After the ceasefire, it is necessary for both sides to comply with the Ceasefire Code of Conduct. Children should not be permitted in any political meeting. We must reinforce the concept that children are zones of peace. Efforts should be made to rehabilitate displaced persons in their own villages rather than allowing them to migrate to urban areas.