Kathmandu, March 28:

State Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare, Dr Durga Pokharel, today said the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare (MoWCSW) was going to take the street children and conflict-hit child soldiers under its aegis and place them under the Child Welfare Centre, a government-run body that will provide the children with shelter and care.

“The MoWCSW will tackle the issues related to these children while also taking into consideration their own views,” said Dr Pokharel while speaking at a seminar on ‘Promoting Peace through Eradicating Drug Abuse and HIV/AIDS’ jointly organised by the United Schools International and The United Schools Organisation Nepal, today.

She said a recent government research on street children revealed that 22 HIV infected boys needed urgent treatment. The government is now funding their treatment at the hospice of Maiti Nepal, she added.

“We need to adopt a participatory approach that includes all stakeholders — HIV infected people, drug users, people with disabilities, indigenous women and dalits, among others. This will help in dealing with the root cause of the problem and in coming up with possible solutions,” Dr Pokharel added.