unbelievable

Kathmandu post editorial
Ugly practice

The report that 17 children rescued the other day from an organization has brought to the fore the ugly practice prevalent in the non-governmental sector. Angel's Heaven, which was sheltering the children, was registered with the Cottage and Small Scale Industry. The District Child Welfare Board rescued the children on the ground that the organization was not registered with the Social Welfare Council and the District Administrative Office as per the state law. Above all, the allegation was that the children were underfed by the proprietor who also runs travel agency --- Angel's Walk for Adventure --- at Thamel. Perhaps, the Angel's Heaven was registered when someone agreed to fund an orphanage. Now, the registered child care home at Swayambhu has taken the responsibility to look after these children. But the way the director prevented the journalists from meeting the rescued children raises doubt that it may also be playing the same dirty game with the children.

Some registered non-governmental organizations have abused children sexually, underfed them and denied them their right to education. There have been cases of the trading of children. In fact, many non-governmental organizations set up to provide care for children have violated their ethics. And the organization of NGOs has protected such NGOs rather than initiating an action against such illegal activities. Cases of pedophile, and trafficking and trading of children have also surfaced in the past. Children are brought to the capital from different parts and traded among the registered non-governmental organizations just to show the donors that they run child care centers. Such activities clearly point out that children have become mere products and the people who run NGOs buy, sell and abuse them. A registered NGO at Thankot, which had brought children from remote parts of the country, sold them to another NGO. Has the government taken any action against this NGO? How many NGOs involved in child care activity are genuine? What are the parameters of being genuine?

Children have suffered the most in this country. The decade-old insurgency has rendered many children orphans, separated them from their parents or displaced them only to deny them their basic right to education. Many children continue to suffer from war trauma. The irony is that neither has the government ever realized that children need protection and better education, nor has there been any organization really working to raise the problems of children. The Maoists recruited them into the militia. The Maoists have closed schools and converted them into barracks. And non-governmental organizations have exploited the innocent children. The government has no legal mechanism as such to punish these culprits involved in the trading and abusing of children.

http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=110656