The Government of Nepal has directed local governments nationwide to submit the required proposals and documentation to advance the declaration of child labour-free local levels. According to a circular issued by the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration on Ashoj 1, 2083 BS, the directive follows a communication from the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security dated Bhadra 31, 2083 BS. The initiative is linked to the implementation of the National Master Plan for the Elimination of Child Labour (2075–2085 BS) and seeks to encourage local authorities to fulfil the necessary requirements for obtaining official recognition as child labour-free jurisdictions.
Under the Child Labour-Free Local Level Declaration Procedure, 2077, municipalities and rural municipalities seeking recognition must conduct a survey in accordance with Schedule 1 of the procedure. Local governments that have completed the prescribed survey and wish to proceed with the declaration process are required to submit proposals using the format specified in Schedule 2. The Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security has instructed eligible local bodies to provide both the survey report and the formal proposal for further consideration. The documentation is intended to establish whether the concerned local government has completed the prescribed preparatory requirements for the declaration.
The Labour Ministry has specified Kartik 13, 2083 BS, as the deadline for submitting proposals. The correspondence further states that applications must be prepared in accordance with the provisions of the existing procedure, which outlines the steps for conducting surveys and advancing the child labour-free declaration process. The Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration has circulated the instructions to all local levels and requested the necessary action. Local governments can access the relevant procedure through the Labour Ministry’s official website, www.moless.gov.np.
The initiative forms part of the government’s broader institutional efforts to eliminate child labour through coordination between federal and local authorities. By requiring survey findings and standardized proposals before granting child labour-free recognition, the government aims to support evidence-based declarations and strengthen local accountability. The circular does not announce that any additional local governments have already achieved child labour-free status; rather, it establishes the documentation and submission requirements for those seeking such recognition under the existing national framework.
