Kathmandu, June 2

Fewer street children are seen in Kathmandu valley these days, thanks to  the street children rescue and rehabilitation campaign launched by Central Child Welfare Board under the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens.

The board has been running the street children rescue campaign since May 9, 2016. The campaign aims to protect and rescue street children and rehabilitate them back into society.

A total of 734 boys and 83 girls have been rescued from the streets so far since the campaign was launched. Ten of the rescued children were between five and 10 years of age, 114 between six to 10 years, 403 between 11 and 14 years, and 290 between 15 and 18 years.

Among them, 248 belong to Brahaman-Chhetri community, 361 indigenous nationalities, 150 Dalits and six are from unspecified communities. Of them, 503 are school dropouts and 234 had never been to school, according to CCWB Executive Director Tarak Dhital.

Records show that 562 have both parents, 94 are orphans, 61 are motherless and 100 have single parent. Most of the children were rescued from Kathmandu (75), followed by Kavrepalanchowk (65). Likewise, 55 were rescued from Sindhupalchowk, 54 from Dhading, 49 from Makwanpur, 38 from Sindhuli, 32 from Sarlahi, 27 from Dolakha, 41 from Ramechhap and 22 from Nuwakot.

The campaign covers 61 districts, but the data regarding the rescue and rehabilitation of street children is available only from the above 10 districts.

The number of rescued Indian children is 20 while the addresses of 50 other children are yet to be ascertained.

Among the rescued children, 361 have been already rehabilitated into their families while 156 are in child protection homes and 117 in socialisation centres. Sixteen are staying in different child homes, 49 are undergoing skill training and 27 boys have already completed skill training course. Dhital said the number of street children was decreasing after CCWB launched the campaign.

Earlier, the government has issued Street Children Protection and Management Guidelines.