Crimes against children

I have been reported that parents and guardians have been alleging some NGOs for ‘stealing’ their children and keeping them in their rehab homes as orphans. It sometimes coaxes me why are so many children still on the streets of Nepal even after long involvement of Ministry of Women and children, police, ILO, UNICEF, Save the Children, Bal Mandir, CWIN, etc. against this problem.

It is alleged that policemen actually abuse street children by forcing them to pick pockets, and steal money and things from shops and houses. Police later on take away the money from these children. Police are also alleged that they sexually abuse children.

Blue Diamond Society[MSM] complained me that police harass and abuse them unnecessarily. But other sources say that BDS are also not good people. They also harass people loitering at late nights.

It has come to my notice that there are some persons [foreigners?] engaged in pedophilia activities in Kathmandu city. The police have no information about it. I think there is a need for a separate unit to investigate such crimes.

Recently, Anju Chhetri has revealed that there are 17000 Nepali sex workers in several cities of India. (‘17000 Nepali girls in Indian sex market’, The Himalayan Times, Vol. IV, No. 124, Sat 25 Mar 2005, p. 4.) This figure is comparatively much below the previous estimation of 100, 000-200, 000. ILO’s12000 @ year and UNICEF’s 5000-7000@ year reporting are much higher than the police annual records of human trafficking cases. The average police records of trafficking swing in between 90 -110 cases annually.