Galkot Municipality has fulfilled the necessary indicators set in the Balmaitri Local Government National Strategy and has entered the stage of declaring Balmaitri Nagar (Child-Friendly Municipality). In the current fiscal year, the municipality has prioritized the announcement program for a Child-Friendly Nagar and plans to declare Galkot as the first Child-Friendly Municipality in March.
According to the Municipal chief, Bharat Sharma Gayre, the efforts to fulfill the indicators have been successful. He emphasized the city's commitment to protecting the rights of children and creating responsible citizens. The municipality expects that declaring Galkot a child-friendly city will help reduce social problems. The chief administrative officer, Shishir Paudel, stated that the social development plan the municipality has prepared will improve every area.
The municipality will include children's rights in local policies, rules, programs, and budgets while meeting the challenging indicators and standards. The work of collecting information about the indicators arranged in the strategy has been completed by forming a committee under the leadership of the chairman in each ward. Rajan Kandel, officer of the planning branch, informed that the municipality is working to complete the incomplete indicators based on the report from the ward level.
The indicators include children's education, health, immunization, breastfeeding, nutrition, participation in social activities, and ending child labor. Galkot Municipality is implementing various programs related to children, such as the establishment of Child Development Centers, Child and Maternal Health and Nutrition Program, and other policies and programs.
All the people's representatives, employees, educational institutions, police, children's clubs, civil society, media workers, etc. have signed a collective commitment letter for the declaration of a child-friendly city. The commitment emphasizes that everyone will actively participate in their respective areas and work with children at the center for the declaration and sustainability of a child-friendly city.
Baglung