Todays YOUTH for Tomorrows YOUTH

EDITORIAL
Child rights have always been a controversial topic for most of the developing countries all over the globe. So in this issue we are trying to give a precise view about child rights and their present situation in Nepal.
Children under the age of 16 comprise 41% of the population of Nepal. They are the generation who need much important care and guidance- be it from their parents, guardians or teachers, so that they will not have to struggle every morning thinking- How am I going to survive TODAY?. But the story goes other way round in the Nepalese lands. 31% of children aged 5 to 14 are directly or indirectly involved in some sorts of child labor which involves rag picking, home servants, garages, construction works, etc. Street children, who hardly have any roof above their heads, love from their loving ones, and satisfy their tummy, are the major victims of such activities. Every single child out in the streets have a story to share, and wish to hold someone when tears roll down their cheeks. BUT, barely there are any!! Most of the street children happen to leave their homes at the age of eight because of various problems that arose in their family. These problems include poverty, stepmothers, family conflicts, etc especially in the rural villages of the nation. Some hapless ones left in search of better opportunities in big cities as lured by traffickers. They thus, cannot abide the rules of survival in the cities are left all alone in the streets-homeless and hopeless.

Many NGOs and INGOs are working today to uplift the condition of street child in our country. But, none of them seem to be successful in their fields. Likewise many children are left in street by their parents due to poverty. Then it leads to a miserable life or it may result in death too. Ten years down the line these innocent children become either drug addicts or murderer. Then they are so called Khate. They start fighting, gambling, and abusing etcetera which create negative impact on society and nation. So what can be done to ameliorate these things? What role can youths and students play? Its time to act now not just to wait and watch. Several talk programs and workshops are held daily to highlight this issue but what is actually being done in the field? What is being done practically to improve their way of living?

Street children not at all have a healthy life style. They live on roads, feed on garbage, work in junkyards, and have no proper clothes to cover up. Around 4000 children work as rag pickers and is considered one of the worst forms of child labor. Among the rag pickers, 88% are boys and 12% girls. 12000 Nepalese girls are sinfully sold to India every year, children being the majority. In the past six months CWIN has recorded 2866 cases of child labor exploitation, child deaths and murder, missing children, sexual abuse, trafficking, forced prostitution, and children affected by armed conflicts. 95% of the street children are involved in glue sniffing. They have to face such dreadful deeds even though its not among their wishes. However, some hearty youths and organizations have been providing initiations to such children over years. NGOs such as Saathi and Sath Sath run residential treatment programmes for children addicted to glue sniffing. Maiti Nepal functions rescue operation for trafficked girls and children. Child Workers in Nepal (CWIN) that act as watchdogs to the government, engage in research and campaign against drug abuse. Importantly, social organizations must come up with plans which help such children get proper education, shelter, skillful and easy jobs, and stay away from drugs and alcohol. Youths play the most important roles in eliminating wrong happenings and implementing the better ones.

Heres a short story of two children- great sufferers in the Nepalese lands..

An orphan at an early age, Krishna Ghimire, 12, used to work at his uncles small farm in Dhading District, 50 km west of capital. Krishnas job was to take the cattle for grazing the whole day. He was lured by a family friend and offered a work at his home in Kathmandu assuring that he would be admitted in a school. However, the man instead engaged him at a carpet factory in Kathmandu. Working like a bonded labor, he was forced to learn knotting wool rugs on heavy wooden looms. His workday started at 4 am in the morning till 10 at night. The earthen floor of the factory was his bed. When the owner obtained a rush order, he and the other boys would have to work throughout the entire night. Despite his hard work, the owner always scolded and physically abused him. After working in harsh conditions for about eight months in the factory, he fled from the factory to work as a helper in gas tempo. Now he earns around Rs. 1000 a month. Krishnas case not a unique one as this is the reality of many child workers in Nepal.

Binod Khadka, aged 8, from Khotang, works as a conductor in a microbus in the capital city. He lives with the driver of the bus- Ananda Chaulagain. He was once asked How old are you? and the answer turned out to be astonishing Im 19 years old. The reason behind this lie was because children below 18 are not allowed as laborers in Nepal. He was afraid of having to lose the job as the conductor and block the only way to his earning. However, this clearly shows dreadful situations of working children in Nepal.

We deserve much better!

What can YOUTH do for the CHILDREN?

Every youth should remember their own childhood. Whatever it was one must aim to provide the best opportunities for the coming generation, the children. -Subas Mardi S

The youths should know the value of essence and empathy which I suppose a youth carries in understanding the problem -Ekta Rana

Youths should advocate the children issues as Child Rights and motivate children to live their life in a disciplined manner. -Suraj Makai Shrestha

Todays Youths For Tomorrows Youths

Have your say?

Youth can give children career guidance, advice, offer, and support in terms of scholastic materials. They can help nerds know themselves. -Swamarika Acharya

Youth must pass on the positive values, traditions, cultures, and norms from the older generation to the upcoming ones for these are the roots that make us what we are. -Bimal Rawal

Short Extracts from NMF Facebook Page

Why STREET children in STREET? Sagar Gyawali (Program Coordinator, NMF )

The Child Workers in Nepal (CWIN), conducted a survey of 100 street children in 1990, and claimed that there were 500 such children in Kathmandu (CWIN 1990). In 1993, three years after the first survey, CWIN claimed that this figure had increased by three times and reached 1500 (Pradhan 1993). At the same time, CWIN also claimed that the number of street children nation-wide in Nepal was 5000. On today's date, there are hundred of organizations working for street children, many colleges' and schools' practical field work are street children these days. In the name of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), hundreds of companies provide food-clothes for a day and publish their philanthropy in the headlines of National Newspaper with group pose picture. Many people think that still number of street children is not drastically change as it has to be. There are many hidden reason behind this facts: 1. Every year around 500 children come to street of Kathmandu from several districts (CWIN, 2006). With this data, total number of street children who have been to street of Kathmandu will be almost 10,000 from 1993-2013. As before, we don't find street children in every junction of Kathmandu area. There are few places like Koteshwor, Durbar Marg, Pasupati, Basantapur, Mahankal where we find street children these days. Recent survey on 2013 by Center for Child Welfare Board (CCWB) has found total number of children in street of Kathmandu is 793. Number has definitely changed with the time and program of different NGOs but not exactly as expected by common people to whom street kids ask money for food. 2. The other main reason for not having drastic change is lack of program from government. Government don't have any program for the street children yet. Without the initiatives of government and state concerned authorities it is near to impossible to eradicate street children. 3. Many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) has similar and common program for street children. Due to the redundant in the NGOs' programs, children got choice to leave one organization and go into another if social worker don't do according to their wish and demand. 4. Street children as so attached with major four things - Money, Drugs, Peer Group (Gangs) and Freedom in their life. They always desire to have that, either they are in NGOs centre or in street. NGOs never can provided those things in its center and instead of that along with therapy they provide education, health, food, shelter, clothes etc which is not the priority of street kids. 5. Lack of stronger family background street children belong to is another problem. Street Children are either re-integrated or rehabilitated. Those who are re-integrated in the family come back to street due the same reason why they came before. NGOs don't have exact project for the street children family to strength them. According to research conducted in Kathmandu District by myself on 2012, it was found that more than 50% who are re-integrated come to street again. They don't come alone but bring other village boys in the street of city. Though we are delay but we are not diminished. We may be in wrong way but still we are walking for destiny. If NGOs in collaboration with Government come with effective program for street children within few years we will not find street kids in street. Only thing is we need to collaborate and feel the change in us.

Nepal Mother Foundation (NMF) is a non-for-profit, non-governmental, social work graduate youth led organization started in 2010 and official registered in Nepal in the year 2011 and 2012 in Australia as Nepcare Australia with an aim of advocating the rights of marginalized and underprivileged children in the Nepalese societies. As a supervisory body in the field of child rights in the nation, NMF acts as an accent of the children through advocacy and campaign thus negotiating with government on protection and promotion of child right in the nation. The organization attempts to intervene at every levels of the society to end every kind of exploitation, abuse and discrimination against children. Objectives: To advocate on the rights of children. To intervene on the various problems of children as like drug addiction, child trafficking, sexual abuse, abduction and so on. To provide Free Education, Medical Facilities, Shelter and Security for the children in need. To protect the children who are the victims of domestic violence, harassments and all sorts of abuses. rights bodies. To provide assistance for the orphan and helpless children ensuring their protection. To conduct awareness and sensitization programs in targeted area. To empower children for prevention and protection from violence abuse/exploitation and discrimination. Activities: Street Children Program Working Children Program Conflict Affected Children Program Library Project School support Program Sponsorship Program School Renovation Program Education Support Program Research and Advocacy Fundraising To promote child rights in coordination with National and International organization and different human

EDITORIAL BOARD
Anish Niroula Saujan Lamichane

Contact Details
Nepal Mother Foundation Gaurighat, Kathmandu, Nepal G.P.O Box: 21774 Ph no: +977-01-4484540 Website: www.nepalmotherfoundation.org E-mail: info@nepalmotherfoundation.org

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