On 12 December 2025, the Inclusive Network, Nepal convened an Advocacy Preparation and Agenda Briefing Meeting under the theme “No child should lose their family in order to access education or care.” The meeting was held at Sital Chautari Restaurant, New Baneshwor, bringing together network members and child rights advocates to align priorities and strengthen collective advocacy efforts.
The meeting focused on reflecting on the current situation of child institutionalization in Nepal, particularly affecting children with disabilities, and aligning advocacy strategies ahead of upcoming national engagements. Participants discussed how families continue to be forced into separation due to the lack of inclusive, community-based education and care services.
The session emphasized that access to education or care should never come at the cost of family separation. Participants reaffirmed that institutional placement is often driven by systemic gaps, weak local services, and policy inconsistencies rather than the best interests of children. The meeting highlighted the importance of promoting family-based and community-supported alternatives as the foundation of child protection and disability inclusion.
Through facilitated discussions, participants reviewed key advocacy messages, identified priority policy concerns, and agreed on common positions to be raised with government bodies, donors, and other stakeholders. The meeting also strengthened internal coordination within the Inclusive Network, ensuring that member organizations speak with a unified and evidence-based voice.
The Inclusive Network reiterated its commitment to promoting the principles of the 2019 UN Resolution on the Rights of the Child, particularly the right of every child to grow up in a family environment. The agenda briefing served as a platform to prepare for coordinated advocacy actions that challenge the normalization of institutional care and advance disability-inclusive deinstitutionalization in Nepal.
The meeting concluded with a shared resolve to move forward collectively, reinforcing the message that no child should lose their family to access education or care, and that sustainable solutions must be rooted in family strengthening, community services, and inclusive public systems.
