Several embroidery factories operating in the districts were raided by the police in the presence of an accompanying team of child right activists, representatives from Central Child Welfare Board (CCWB) and representatives of District Child Welfare Board (DCWB). [break]
The administrations said that most of the rescued children belonged to Muslim families and were trafficked from Bihar of India and from several districts of Nepal.
A boy undergoes health check-up after being rescued. (Photo: Dipesh Shrestha)
“They were compelled to work more than 14 hours a day for meager wages,” Pradeep Dongol, Child Rights Officer at Children-Women in Social Service and Human Rights (CIWISH), said.
The police have also rounded up factory owners for employing minors. Jitendra Bhandari, chief district officer of Bhaktapur, said that exploitation of minor at embroidery factories is a serious problem and the administration is working to end the problem. The administration said it will contact the family of Indian children and make arrangements to send them back to their homes.
All the rescued children were taken to a training centre of Agriculture Development Bank at Bhaktapur for health check up.
One of the rescued children, 10-year-old Irfan Mukeri of Malangawa, Sarlahai, had been working as a weaver for the past two years. After toiling 14 hours every day in a congested dark room of a factory, he earned a paltry Rs 200 per month. “We used to work from 8am till 12pm,” Irfan said. Irfan´s brother Jan, 12, also toiled in the same factory.
Lunch being served to rescued children. (Photo: Dipesh Shrestha)
Irfan and Jan have been wasting their childhood at the factory due to abject poverty. “My father is a drunkard. He used to drink and enter into brawls with local locals,” Irfan said. Jan said that his mother works at a sugar factory and their family of eight members depended on her meager income for survival.
“I am very eager to see my mother. I had to part with her because of poverty,” he said. He said that he has never been to school in his life. He said that he had studied at a Madrasa for a year.
“I also wanted to go to school like other children in the village, but my mother does not have money to pay for my studies,” 10-year-old Irfan said.
Mohammad Saudagar, 12, of Motihari, India said that he was earning IRs 3,000 per month, which he had been sending to his family in Bihar. He said that seven members of his family depended on his earning. The administration said that most of the rescued children are under aged and are being kept at a shelter of Carnet Nepal at Lalitpur.
Rescued children enjoy lunch. (Photo: Dipesh Shrestha)
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