<P>A 9-year-old boy,&nbsp; filed a petition through his attorney with the Sindh High Court in Pakistan claiming damages worth Rupees 23.8 million from the Karachi Electricity Supply Corporation (KESC).<BR>Aleem Ahmad Siddiqui accidentally came into contact with a live, open and exposed electric pillar box/junction while playing near his house. Though the KESC was immediately informed of the electrocution, nobody from the corporation came to the rescue of the child. [Source: DAWN] </P>
<P>BANGLADESH: GOVERNMENT PLEDGES TO WORK TOWARDS ENSURING CHILD RIGHTS (JANUARY 16, 2003)</P>
<P>A round table organized by Prothom Alo, a Bengali newspaper in Bangladesh, titled, 'Child Rights in National Policy Making' was attended by government and state officials belonging to both the ruling and the opposition parties in Bangladesh. <BR>Speakers at the event suggested that there was a need to launch a social movement to ensure child rights in the nation. Speaking on the occasion, Women and Children Affairs Minister Khurshid Jahan Haque said that the government was in the process of developing a five-year National Plan of Action for child development and was also planning to establish a separate directorate for the children. [Source: Daily Star]</P>
<P>CHINA: CHILD LABOUR IN HANDICRAFT COMPANY (JANUARY 15, 2003)</P>
<P>Tebiete, a handcraft company, located in the capital of southern China's Fujian Province, was levied a fine of 30,000 Yuan for employing four minor girls. <BR>Two of the girls had just graduated from primary school when they were introduced into the company by their friends and relatives. The girls worked&nbsp; for more than 12 hours a day for 300 to 400 Yuan per month. However, they said that had not received the entire money since part of it went for their room and board and the remaining was being withheld till coming spring festival. [Source: Xinhua News Agency]</P>
<P><BR>NEPAL: MAOISTS ABDUCT 80 SCHOOL CHILDREN FOR GUERRILLA TRAINING (JANUARY 15, 2003)</P>
<P>Maoists kidnapped 80 children studying in grade 10 from a high school in Bhalchaur village in western Nepal, a few days ago. <BR>One of the students who escaped from Maoist captivity reported that the abducted students were being given training on guerrilla warfare at Ratamata area in Bhalchaur village. "You have to take training on guerrilla warfare rather than continue your studies at this moment,'' the student told the Kathmandu Post, quoting rebel leaders. [Source: The Kathmandu Post]<BR></P>