NEPALGUNJ/RUKUM, April 8: Four-year-old Ravin Khatri, living in Rukum (west) jail with his mother, has been granted a birth certificate giving him opportunity to pursue education which they had been longing for.
Ravin and his mother Sunita have been in the jail for three years after Sunita was given a jail term of 20 years for murdering her mother in law, Vishnu Kumari, following an argument. Ravin's father, who is now married to another woman, had denied providing birth certificate to Ravin, the only obstacle barricading him from getting education.
Overcrowded Baglung prison house leaves jailbirds in trouble
After Republica's article on Ravin's case was published on November 12, 2018, several child rights activists had begun a campaign to help him get a birth certificate. The certificate has finally been granted with efforts of Manbir Oli, child rights activist from Musikot Municipality of Rukum. Ward chief of Banfikot Rural Municipality-7, Nara Bahadur Khatri has agreed to become Ravin's guardian, guaranteeing him the birth certificate. CNN Hero 2016, Pushpa Basnet's Child Development Center has agreed to educate him.
“I felt like crying when he expressed his dreams of studying. I was helpless, but now I am at peace,” said Sunita.
She was imprisoned three years ago with eight-month-old Ravin after for hacking her mother-in-law with a sickle. Sunita was approached by several organizations give refuge to her child but the absence of Ravin's birth certificate had left them helpless.
