11.2 million children

29 million people live in Nepal. 11.2 million are children, and almost 3 million of the children are under five years old.

Name and nationality

From the day you are born you have the right to have a name and to be registered as a citizen in your country. 573,000 children are born every year in Nepal. 4 out of 10 of them are never registered. There is no documented proof that they exist!

Survive and grow

You have the right to life. Nepal must do all it can to allow children to survive and develop. 1 out of 28 children in Nepal (20,000 every year) dies before the age of 5, usually due to causes that could have been prevented.

Health

You have the right to food, clean water, medical care and the right to privacy when consulting an adult about any health problem. 9 out of 10 children in Nepal use basic drinking water services. Only 5 out of 10 children use basic sanitation services.

A home, clothing, food and security

You have the right to a home, food, clothing, education, health care and security. 15 out of 100 children in Nepal live in extreme poverty with less than 1.90 US-dollar (215 Nepalese Rupees) a day to live on.

Education

You have the right to go to school. Primary and secondary schools should be free for everyone. More than 9 out of 10 children in Nepal go to school, but many of them leave school too early. And many children, especially those from minority populations, do not go to school at all.

Protection against violence

You have the right to protection against all forms of violence, including neglect, maltreatment and abuse. Only 60 countries have forbidden all forms of corporal punishment for children. In 2018 Nepal banned all forms of corporal punishment.

Hazardous child labour

You have the right to be protected against both economic exploitation and work that is hazardous to your health or which prevents you from going to school. All work is prohibited for children under 12. Some children are forced into the worst forms of child labour, such as being child soldiers or used for commercial sexual exploitation. It’s estimated that 5,000 children under the age of 16 are exploited in the sex industry in urban areas in Nepal. Annually some 10,000 – 20,000 girls are trafficked from Nepal to become child sex slaves in India and other countries. Circa 2.4 million children in Nepal have to work.

Your voice must be heard

You have the right to say what you think about any issue that affects you. The adults should listen to the child’s opinion before they make decisions, which must always be made in the best interest of the child!