Despite political commitments and initiatives from multiple sectors to end the use of children in political activities, the practice continued widely during the March 5 House of Representatives elections.

Monitoring conducted by Children as Zones of Peace (CZOP) Nepal during the recently concluded elections recorded 286 incidents involving children before polling day, while 19 additional cases were documented in the post-election period, according to the organisation.

The study found that children were misused in a range of political activities, including carrying party flags and symbols, participating in rallies and mass gatherings, chanting slogans, distributing campaign materials, wearing clothing with party insignia, and taking part in campaign songs and dance programmes.

In several instances, children were also featured in promotional videos and social media content, delivering messages in support of specific parties or candidates. Platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and other social media channels further amplified the reach of such content.

“Students were reportedly compelled to join rallies in their school uniforms, political leaders visited school premises, programmes were organised near schools during class hours, and school buses were used for election-related events,” reads the report. “These practices undermined efforts to keep schools child-friendly and politically neutral, while directly violating the election code of conduct.”

The study also highlighted the growing use of children in digital media during the elections. Parents were seen recording children urging voters, social media influencers included children in political content, and some videos portrayed children repeating party messages or criticising rival candidates. Such practices put children at greater risk, raising serious concerns about privacy, consent, and the long-term digital impact on minors, the report says.

Addressing the event to release the report on Saturday, child rights experts demanded stricter policy provisions to prevent the misuse of children in elections. “The rampant use of children despite commitments from across political parties demands stronger legal provisions to curb such practices,” said Shriram Adhikari, programme coordinator at the National Child Rights Council.

Also speaking at the event, Durga Prasad Chalise, under-secretary at the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens, recommended cooperation and vigilance of concerned stakeholders to control such malpractices.

The report recommends that political parties refrain from using children in any form of election campaigning, including rallies, campaign materials, or political digital content. It has urged parties to adopt child-friendly electoral practices that respect children’s rights and to ensure that schools and other child-focused spaces remain free from political activities during election periods.

CZOP has also recommended that the Election Commission strengthen monitoring and enforcement of the election code of conduct that prohibits the use of children in political activities. It has further suggested that voter education programmes incorporate awareness of children’s rights, so that political actors and the public understand the risks and ethical concerns associated with involving children in elections.

Even as the constitutional election management body received several complaints regarding the use of children in electioneering, it took no action other than seeking written clarification from the accused candidates and the parties.

The organisation has called on the government and policymakers to strengthen legal provisions that prohibit the use of children in political activities and to ensure the effective implementation of child protection policies during elections. It has also recommended developing clear guidelines to prevent the political use of children on digital platforms and social media.

Similarly, CZOP has urged security agencies to develop clear child protection guidelines for security personnel deployed during elections and to discourage the involvement of children in post-election celebrations and large gatherings.

The organisation has further recommended that civil society organisations and election observers expand monitoring of children’s rights during election periods, advocate for child-friendly election standards, and strengthen reporting mechanisms to document violations. It has also stressed the importance of raising public awareness to prevent the political misuse of children.

“The CZOP calls upon the families, schools and communities to avoid involving children in election campaigning or partisan activities,” reads the report. “Schools must be maintained as safe and politically neutral environments, and age-appropriate civic education should be promoted to help children understand democratic values while safeguarding their rights and well-being.”