The other day I read an article in a local newspaper regarding the plight of children in Nepal. In many respects the article reiterated what we already know but it is still always confronting to have the numbers and details set out before you. I thought it appropriate to share some of the main points as a reminder of how lucky we are and how much more needs to be done to correct imbalances and injustices in the world.
• Of Nepal’s 26 million people, 10 million are under the age of 18.
• Many children must work to survive including picking plastics for recycling from large rubbish dumps for very little money.
• When asked about child rights, they know something but are confused about whether the rights should be provided by grown-ups or children should be asking for their rights.
• There are about 5,000 street children in Nepal. About 1,000 of these are in Kathmandu and are particularly vulnerable to physical and psychological abuse.
• An estimated 20,000 children were displaced due to the Maoist insurgency.
• 21,000 children work as domestic labourers in Kathmandu, around 100,000 children work in this way throughout Nepal. They are typically deprived of their basic rights.
• Children constitute around 20% (40,000) of the approximately 200,000 Nepalese prostitutes working in India.
• It is estimated that up to 10,000 Nepali girls are sold into prostitution each year.
• In the last 3 years over 500 children under 14 have been sold to circuses in India.
• 11% of Nepalese children have never been to school.
• 65% of children who do attend school drop out before class 5.
• Only 24% of enrolled school children reach class 10.
• The majority of orphanages in Kathmandu are not authorised and are filled with children who have parents and family members able to look after them. It is common to find children from these orphanages begging on the streets of the capital.
• These orphanages generally refuse admission to legitimate orphans.
We can only hope that situations such as these become a priority for the new government in Nepal. Education across all sectors of society will be crucial in affecting change as many of these situations arise from ignorance, lack of education or long held cultural attitudes and beliefs. Good news has arrived this week in the form of the new budget announced by the government last Friday (19th September). Education received the largest piece of the budget pie and included an ambitious goal to achieve 100% literacy in Nepal in the next two years! This should be the beginning of an exciting and prosperous new era for the country and its children.
Nepal is by no means the only country in the world facing these challenges, it is simply the country we have chosen to focus on. My belief is that if we all helped in whatever capacity we could, real and lasting change will come. That is why we are so grateful for all of the amazing support we receive from all of you, together we are making a difference.
