More than three times the number of boys are being held at the Child Reform Home located at Thanabharyang, Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City–11. According to the head of the correction home, Pradeep Gautam, the facility, designed to accommodate 30, currently houses boys convicted of various criminal offenses as well as those sent for judicial custody.
The correction home, which has been operating since 2018 under the Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens to serve juveniles in legal conflict from Chitwan and Makwanpur, has been forced to accommodate more than its capacity because boys from other districts have also been transferred there.
In particular, after vandalism and operational disruption following the “Youth Movement” at the Bhaktapur reform home, boys from that facility were also transferred to Hetauda. As the correction homes in Birgunj and Biratnagar are likewise overcrowded, boys from districts ranging from Ilam to Terhathum have been sent to Hetauda.
At present, the correction home houses boys and inmates aged between 14 and 23. Among them, 29 individuals are over 18 years of age. Although legally those above 18 require separate arrangements, they cannot be separated due to a lack of space, according to Gautam. Boys aged 16 to 18 make up the largest group, while among those aged 14 to 16, many are involved in cases related to sexual abuse.
Due to severe overcrowding, the boys are compelled to sleep on the floor. The administration has warned that if numbers continue to rise, some may have to sleep on verandas or take turns sleeping. “Even when we refuse to accept more juvenile detainees, they are forcibly sent here,” said Gautam, adding that the problem has become increasingly complex due to inadequate management by government agencies.
Educational arrangements at the reform home have also not been effective. Although there is provision for self-study and appearing for examinations, regular classes have not been conducted. Basic literacy support is provided to boys who cannot read. At one point, the ministry had allocated a budget to purchase books in an effort to expand schooling, but the program was left incomplete.
Delays in case adjudication have also contributed to the increasing number of juveniles in the facility. There is a need either to expand infrastructure or to reduce incidents of crime and human rights violations. With boys spending their formative years in detention instead of carrying books to school, and being deprived of basic facilities and education, attention from the government has been drawn toward improving the situation.