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Acknowledgements

This report was written by Saman Zia-Zarifi, Asia research director for Human Rights Watch, with assistance by Anna Neistat, emergencies researcher, and Jo Becker, advocacy director of the Children’s Rights Division, based on research conducted in Nepal in February, March, and May 2006, and updated by telephone and email from October 2006 through January 15, 2007. Brad Adams, executive director of the Asia Division at Human Rights Watch, and Ian Gorvin, consultant to the Program Office at Human Rights Watch, edited the report. Wilder Tayler, legal and policy director, provided legal review. Veronica Matushaj, Creative Director and Photo Editor, and Ella Moran, multimedia specialist, prepared the photographs accompanying this report. Andrea Cottom and Dominique Chambless, associates in the Asia Division, helped format the report. Fitzroy Hepkins, Andrea Holley, and Grace Choi provided production assistance.

The research was conceived, conducted, and completed with the assistance of Advocacy Forum, particularly its director, Mandira Sharma, whose guidance was invaluable, and Bikram S., who was our translator, guide, and optimistic friend at a time when hope was a scarce commodity. We would also like to thank our translator Birendra V. and Raju, our trusty driver, who safely conducted us through dozens of checkpoints, hairpin turns, and other difficult situations. Nepali human rights groups, which continued their work on behalf of Nepali children despite government repression and Maoist threats, generously provided us with information; in particular we would like to thank the staff of CWIN and the Children as Zones of Peace coalition. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal and UNICEF also gave us guidance and information. We gratefully acknowledge the support of Cordaid. The children’s council of Children for a Better World provided generous support for the publication of this report.