Campaign to make Nepal street children-free nation expedited

Kathmandu, Nov 7: The government has accelerated the campaign to making Nepal a street children-free nation.     

A cabinet meeting held on July 15 had decided to make Nepal a street children-free country by the end of current fiscal year 2024/25.     

The Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizen has been rescuing street children and rehabilitating, protecting and taking care of them with high-priority.     

Minister for Women, Children and Senior Citizen, Nabal Kishor Sah Sudi, shared that such activities are underway through the National Child Rights Council.     

Of the street children who were found after carrying out search operation, 1,559 children (442 boys and 1,117 girls) were reunited with their families, according to the Ministry. A necessary process has been forwarded to amend the Child Protection Act-2075.     

In recent period, the Ministry rescued 32 children who faced violence and those at risk, and made arrangement for their temporary custody, 20 children were brought back to Nepal rescuing them from India with the support of different organisations.     

Similarly, 408 street children were provided with relief as well as given custody. They included 335 children rescued till the end of fiscal year 2023/24 and 53 rescued so far in the current fiscal year 2024/25.     

Minister Sudi mentioned that preparation to introduce 'budget coding' was underway to keep record of the budget invested in children.(RSS)