Course 1: Improving the Quality of Life of Children: Health, Work and Education Course 2: Understanding Child Labor in the Context of Child Rights Learn more at: http://www.payson.tulane.edu/content/summer-institute Course 1 Description: Among Asia’s poorest countries (HDI of 157 out of 187 countries), land-locked Nepal lacks universal access to health care, compulsory education and essential legal protections for children. Across the country, children continue to engage in activities that are dangerous to their health and well-being. At the same time, resources for interventions in health and education and for law enforcement are far below of what would be needed. As elsewhere in the developing world, data on the success of existing programs are often lacking and the quantity and the quality of the available information are major issues. This course will study interventions targeted at improving the quality of life of children at the example of Nepal focusing on three broad areas: (a) child health, (b) child work, and (c) availability and quality of education. After an introduction to the strategic planning and management of development programs, the students will be asked to select one of these three topic areas for further specialization. Participants in the course will learn though visits to international and local organizations and project sites, guest speakers, and discussions. They will work in small groups to design and execute a feasibility study for a prevention or intervention program in their selected area of specialization addressing a problem of local and international significance. Course 2 Description: This course will study the rights and protection of children and provide a conceptual understanding of child labor from child rights perspectives. While governments, international agencies, NGOs, trade unions, the private sector and other civil society organizations have invested significant resources to eliminate child labor, results have been disappointing. Research has shown that children's work is not a uniform phenomenon, the children's age, the type and hours of work performed, and the conditions under which work is undertaken all determine the impact that work can have on children and the types of approaches that need to be adopted for their protection and support. In a context where the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labor (IPEC) is celebrating its 20th anniversary, the ILO has recognized that a shift of focus towards knowledge development and evidence-based analysis of policies and dissemination is required. At the example of Nepal, this course will explore methodologies to improve the monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of ILO Conventions 182 and 138 in innovative ways that are effective and beneficial to children and may improve the impact of the ILO-IPEC programs themselves.