At least four minor girls of Chhatiwan VDC in Makawanpur were lured and forced into child labour in a carpet factory in Kathmandu two months ago. The children were rescued by CWIN Child Help Line and Child Welfare Society in coordination with a local child club. Padam Waiba, who was held for his alleged involvement, was released with a warning not to repeat his action in future. Police had held Raju Lama and Urmila Thing, kin of a 13-year-old girl from the district, and factory operator Sherap Lama a few days ago in Kathmandu with the support of CWIN. However, the allegations were released after each of them paid a fine of Rs 15,000. CWIN and Child Welfare Society had also rescued around a dozen children in cases related to labour exploitation from various places of Hetauda on February 2.As many as five persons were held and fined a total amount of Rs 2.67 lakh for the same. It has been reported that children belonging to Tamang, Chepang, Majhi, Rai, and Pahari, among other communities, have been victims of child labour or trafficking by their own relatives in rural areas of the district. However, the majority of such incidents are settled secretly, fearing various social taboos.

According to CWIN data, as many as 46 children went missing the last fiscal in the district alone. Of them, many were forced into child labour as domestic help, workers in factories and in Indian circuses by their kin. Kamal Phuyal, the representative of Child Welfare Society, said vulnerable children from families stricken with poverty, illiteracy and conservative mindset were easily brainwashed by traffickers. According to Phuyal, kin’s involvement was found in most cases of disappearance of minors, whereas in other cases, children were influenced by their companions. Makawanpur District Police Office DSP Deepak Thapa said some incidents of child trafficking were falsely enlisted in cases of child labour as well. “Until people become aware of this grave condition, the perpetrators will evade legal penalty,” said Thapa.