There is mounting concern about the problem of child trafficking in Nepal, which is one of the poorest countries in the world.
Recently, an investigation has cracked down orphanages in Nepal who are running a multi-million-pound international adoption racket, selling poor kids abroad without their parents’ approval.
Padam Bahadur Shahi, 31, a forest guard met with this miserable incident. When his one of the two boys fell ill, he send the kid to a children’s home in Kathmandu, on one of his friend’s suggestion, which he considered to be the only option for the well being of his child. But then after two years he got to know that the boy has been adopted by a Spanish couple.
The bleak figures postulate that more than 300 kids are adopted every year and 338 were adopted in the first six months of the current financial year. According to the official figures, 11 have gone to Britain since 2000.
The couples are ready to pay as much as $20,000 to intermediaries or officials.
With very little access to information or support, many parents put their child’s life in jeopardy.
Every day newspaper advertisements appear seeking information on lost children. They give little information that could help identify the child, but if no one comes forward within 56 days, the child is declared an orphan.
Needs a re-think
In recent times, the rising concern about the trafficking has incorporated a critique of national and local level political apathy on the issue and the chronic lack of law enforcement and political will to address this problem.
It is argued by critics from the NGO sector that while the government has voiced a commitment to mainstreaming gender and child rights issues, most of these programs continue to be conducted in isolation.
The marginalization of women’s and children’s issues limits participation and contributes to further exclusion.
