Kathmandu: The government has accelerated the campaign to make Nepal a street children-free nation. A cabinet meeting held on July 15 had decided to achieve this goal by the end of the current fiscal year 2024/25. The Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizen is spearheading efforts to rescue, rehabilitate, protect, and care for street children with top priority.
According to National News Agency Nepal, Minister for Women, Children, and Senior Citizen, Nabal Kishor Sah Sudi, stated that these initiatives are being conducted through the National Child Rights Council. As a result of search operations, 1,559 street children, including 442 boys and 1,117 girls, have been reunited with their families. The Ministry is also moving forward with necessary processes to amend the Child Protection Act-2075.
Recently, the Ministry rescued 32 children who faced violence or were at risk, providing them with temporary custody. In collaboration with various organizations, 20 children were brought back to Nepal from Ind
ia. Additionally, 408 street children were given relief and custody, with 335 children rescued by the end of the fiscal year 2023/24 and 53 so far in the current fiscal year 2024/25.
Minister Sudi further highlighted that preparations are underway to introduce ‘budget coding’ to track the investment in child-related initiatives.