Nepal has recently witnessed incidents of expulsion of HIV infected and affected children by schools in three districts of Nepal. USAID/Nepal strongly condemned the expulsion in a joint statement with international and local organizations under the Universal Access for Children Affected by AIDS (UCAAN) partnership in Nepal. Beth S. Paige, Mission Director of USAID/Nepal, reiterated our commitment to non-discrimination and the right to education for every Nepali child as the key note speaker at an event organized by UCAAN on June 2.

The UCAAN partnership was launched in 2007 by USAID, UNICEF, the National Association of People Living with HIV in Nepal, and FHI, and has grown to 34 organizations representing a variety of sectors.