KATHMANDU, Nov 19: Article 39 (5) of the Constitution of Nepal, 2015 stipulates that no child shall be subjected to child marriage, illegal transportation, abduction/kidnapping, or taken hostage.
According to information obtained from the police headquarters, 52 cases of child marriage were recorded in Fiscal Year (FY) 2021/22, with 18 cases registered in FY 2022/23. Additionally, the Child Helpline (1098) service, operational in 18 locations, prevented at least 240 incidents of child marriage in FY 2022/23.
Utilizing the Children's Search Service (104), approximately 297 orphaned children were rescued, protected, and managed in FY 2021/22, while 362 were assisted in FY 2022/23.
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A total of 9,410 children have been rescued through Child Helpline, recommended by other agencies, and rescued through phone calls and various other means.
Women, children, and senior citizen service centers operate in 233 police units across 77 districts under the Nepal Police to address violence and abuse against children.
In FY 2022/23, the National Council for Child Rights supported the Nepal Embassy in India to help rescue trafficked children. In collaboration with various organizations, 64 children, including 13 girls, were rescued, repatriated, and reunited with their families from various locations in India, including border areas.
