Do Not Leave Kids In The Lurch

A recent news report, published in Gorkhapatra Daily, sheds light on the alarming trend of villages in Nawalpur district becoming deserted as more and more mothers leave the country for foreign employment. The report illustrates a distressing picture - families are broken apart as fathers migrate to one country and mothers another, leaving their children in the care of relatives. In some cases, parents become completely out of touch with their wards after remarrying abroad, leaving their children high and dry. 

This story applies to almost all villages across the country, raising serious questions about the well-being of the children left abandoned. Who is responsible for the plight of these children who grow up without parental care?

Economic issue is at the root of this fragmented families. With limited job opportunities at home, millions of Nepali youths are compelled to seek employment abroad, often under harsh conditions. However, the social cost of the migration is often overlooked. Children, who are raised without their parents’ presence, are deprived of emotional, psychological, and developmental support. Despite efforts to promote child rights in Nepal, these children are living without care and attention.

The long-term psychological implications for these children can be dire. They might suffer from low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and even resentment. Mostly, they are under the care of extended family members, like aunts or uncles, who cannot give the same degree of affection to them. Over time, their emotional distress can morph into anger towards the state, creating social problems. So it is necessary to manage their emotional distress and frustration.

Therefore, this issue demands urgent attention from both society and the state. The government should create jobs within the country so that parents are not forced to go to alien lands to provide for the family. Advocating child rights alone is not enough, we must address the systemic causes that undermine their rights. It makes no sense to promote children’s rights to education and health if their most fundamental rights – parental care and love – are snatched away.

Addressing this issue requires a multi-faceted approach. In addition to economic development, there should be support systems in place for the affected children. Schools, communities, and local authorities need to work together to provide these children with emotional support, counseling, and protection.

Currently, Nepali society is undergoing structural changes. Globalisation has spurred in-migration and out-migration of Nepalis which has economic, social and psychological repercussions. Many Nepalis sweating in foreign nations are sending money home in the form of remittances. Their hard-earned money has helped the domestic economy stay afloat. They are indeed unsung heroes but their migration is not without social and economic costs as mentioned above. The children, considered the future of nation, must not be left in the lurch for the sake of monetary advantage. If we delay in solving this deepening societal fissures, even bigger troubles will befall us.