Rehabilitating Children

One of the most heart-breaking aspects of the devastating Rasuwa flood, for me, was the news that many children had lost their parents and homes. Recently, reports have emerged that the government is making efforts to establish a shelter in the Kathmandu Valley for children who have lost their families in the disaster. Many people have praised the government’s efforts to rehabilitate these children. Indeed, the policy adopted by the government to provide care for children without guardians ensures their protection from the elements and provides them with food, shelter, and other necessities.

However, several important questions remain unanswered, as providing these essentials alone is not enough. In other words, this model does not adequately address the proper rehabilitation and reintegration of children affected by the disaster.

From an international human rights perspective, children have the right to grow up in a family environment, a principle recognised and protected by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). This raises an important question: what should an appropriate approach to their rehabilitation be?

As someone deeply concerned about children's rights and equal opportunities, I believe that priority should be given to reintegrating each child with their immediate relatives in their own community. While discussing this issue with my friends, I found that many shared a common concern: relatives might not be willing to take in the affected children, and even if they do, those children might not necessarily be safe in their relatives’ homes.