Floods do not discriminate. They sweep away whatever lies in their path, sparing neither homes nor schools, rich nor poor. But rescue, rehabilitation and reconstruction cannot be carried out without priorities. In disaster response, children must come first. The devastating Bhotekoshi floods and landslides have directly affected 19 schools in three severely impacted districts. According to government information, more than 200 students have gone missing, while teachers and students from several schools remain unaccounted for. The full extent of the damage is still being assessed. The immediate priority must be to locate and protect missing children, provide shelter to those who have lost their parents, and ensure that no child is deprived of education because of the disaster. Some children have lost their parents and homes. Others have been traumatized by the loss of family members, displacement, and destruction around them. For children who are still growing and developing, even a short interruption in education, care and emotional support can have lasting consequences. This is where local and provincial governments must take a much bigger responsibility. The federal government has an important role in mobilizing national resources, coordinating rescue and supporting reconstruction. But the responsibility for ensuring the day-to-day well-being of affected children should rest primarily with governments closest to them. Local governments know their communities, schools and families best. Provincial governments, meanwhile, have the resources and institutional capacity to support and coordinate local efforts. Local governments should immediately establish a reliable system to identify and register children who have lost parental care or are otherwise in need of protection. They should ensure that such children receive safe accommodation, food, healthcare, protection and continued education.
Worth of stories
Education cannot wait until damaged schools are rebuilt. Where schools have been destroyed or rendered unsafe, temporary learning centres should be established and regular classes resumed as soon as possible. Provincial governments should provide the necessary resources, teachers, learning materials and logistical support to local governments to make this possible. Equally important is the mental well-being of children. Those who have witnessed deaths, lost family members or been displaced by floods and landslides may require psychosocial support. Such support should be treated as an essential service, not as an optional or supplementary intervention. Local governments, however, cannot be expected to do all this alone. Some rural municipalities may lack residential facilities for children without parental care. They may not have trained counsellors, child protection specialists, or the technical capacity to establish temporary schools. This is where provincial and federal governments, as well as organizations working for children, must step in. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other national and international organizations can provide expertise, resources and technical assistance. The government should make it easier for local authorities to coordinate with such organizations and receive assistance without unnecessary administrative or legal obstacles. The Social Welfare Council can also play a stronger coordinating role by linking child-focused organizations with specific local governments and helping ensure that assistance reaches communities according to their needs.
The division of responsibility must therefore be clear. Local governments should lead the identification, protection and day-to-day care of affected children. Provincial governments should provide resources, technical support and coordination. The federal government should mobilize national resources, set broad policy, and facilitate large-scale rescue, rehabilitation, and reconstruction. Greater local autonomy, however, must go hand in hand with transparency. Clear standards for expenditure, monitoring, child protection and partnerships should be established so that urgency does not become an excuse for weak accountability. Nepal is also approaching its major festivals, Dashain and Tihar, while the main highway linking Kathmandu with the Tarai has suffered extensive damage. The government faces multiple competing priorities. But children's needs cannot be pushed to the bottom of that list. Nor should local representatives wait for instructions, formal invitations or prolonged clarification of jurisdiction before acting. Disaster situations demand initiative and leadership. Legal and administrative procedures should facilitate action rather than delay it. In exceptional circumstances, prompt notification can replace prior approval where necessary. What matters is that children are protected without delay and that every rupee and every intervention remains accountable. The floods may have destroyed homes, schools and infrastructure. The government must ensure they do not destroy children's futures. Local and provincial governments must step forward now—not merely as implementers of relief, but as the primary guardians of children's safety, education and well-being in the aftermath of disaster.
