Street Child-Free Declaration Notice Nepal 2082

Street Child-Free Declaration Notice for Every Ward, Local Level, and Province

Issued by: Government of Nepal, Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens

Department: National Child Rights Council

National Action and Progress

From Baisakh 27, 2073 to the end of Chaitra 2081 B.S., a total of 2,485 street children have been rescued and placed under care across the country. In line with the Cabinet’s decision on 2081/03/31, the Ministry has instructed all local levels to implement this directive. Based on the reports, 136 street children were rescued from Shrawan to Chaitra of Fiscal Year 2081/82.

Continuous rescue, rehabilitation, and care efforts over the last decade have significantly reduced the number of children living on the streets. A dedicated rescue mechanism under the Child Search and Investigation Service has been made fully responsible and active.

All wards and local levels are requested to verify and officially declare themselves as free from street children, based on the following criteria, procedures, and timeline. Coordination, cooperation, and timely information sharing are requested from all concerned.

1. Ward-Level Declaration by End of Baisakh 2082

• If no children are found living on the streets in any part of the ward (community, neighborhood, alley, or roadside), or if the ward has already been declared child-friendly, or if an active mechanism exists to rescue children as soon as they are seen on the street, then the Ward Committee must issue a written declaration stating that the ward is free of street children.

• If any ward-level official, staff member, or Child Rights Committee believes street children still exist, regular monitoring for up to 7 days must be conducted.

• In such cases, rescue, rehabilitation, and care should be managed in coordination with police and the Child Search Service. A report must be submitted to the respective local level.

2. Local Level Declaration by Jestha 15, 2082

• If all wards within a municipality have submitted written declarations, or if the local level has already been declared child-friendly, or if an active mechanism exists for immediate rescue and care, then the Executive Committee of the local level must officially declare the municipality free of street children.

• The declaration message should be posted on the local level’s website, and a written notice should be sent to the Council and the concerned Provincial Ministry.

• If any official or committee suspects the presence of street children, or if a ward has previously raised concern, monitoring must be conducted for up to 7 days. Rescues must be carried out in coordination with the Council and law enforcement, with a report submitted to the concerned authorities.

3. Province-Level Declaration by End of Jestha 2082

• If written confirmations are received that all local levels within a province are free of street children, or if mechanisms are actively rescuing and supporting such children, then the Provincial Ministry responsible for child affairs may recommend the provincial government to declare the province street child-free.

• The declaration and message should be posted on the provincial government’s website, and a formal notification should be sent to the Council, Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, and the Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens.

• If there are suspicions or known cases of street children within any local level, a 7-day monitoring period must be enforced. Necessary action must be taken in collaboration with the Council and concerned services, with an update provided to all responsible authorities.

Coordination and Contact Information

All stakeholders—at federal, provincial, and local levels—including service providers, civil society organizations, and networks, are requested to support and collaborate on this effort.

For more information and coordination:

• National Child Rights Council Office Contact: 01-5450121

• Officer Ram Bahadur Chand: 9841386871

• Program Officer Santosh Chandra Adhikari: 9851221104

Issued by:

Member Secretary

National Child Rights Council