Children at High Risk After Earthquake

  September 4, 2016 By: INSEC

In Makwanpur District at least 3,282 children under 18 years of age are at high risk due to the earthquake according to one study by UNICEF and Child Welfare Society of Makwanpur.

As per protection view, 1600 boys and 1782 girls are at high risk.” These children can be used for cheap labour at any time and are at high risk of possible child trafficking”. Shova Shah, chief of Women and children office of Makwanpur said that at least 3400 children in Makwanpur district are at high risk according to protection.

UNICEF and Children welfare Society had jointly collected the data of children by going into their houses. The report, which was made ready after five months, shows that 58 children are orphans and 15 are living without protection according to children welfare society of Makwanpur. Chief Prakash Khatiwada of Children welfare Society said that 306 children are living with their relatives.

The data of children regarding their condition was collected after 30,000 houses in Makwanpur were completely destroyed after a devastating earthquake last year. Among the children those are at high risk, 1035 do not have father and 499 do not have mother. Most of them are under poverty and are at high risk.

In Makwanpur District 11.48 percent are children out of 48,284 people. Among them 7.30 percent of children are at high risk.

“If these children are not rescued on time, it might create various consequences”, according to  chief Shah of Children and Women Office.

In the district 17 children were killed in an earthquake and 28 were injured. One girl was rescued after 20 hours.

Those children who are at risk of protection are being supported by Women and Children office, UNICEF including other organisations. UNICEF has been distributing 4 to 6 thousand rupees to the children who are at high risk.

At least 11 children those are at high risk have been rescued while attempting to be trafficked in India. The report said that at least four agent were arrested and other involved in such incident are at large.


Pratap Bista