It has come to light that many children are being trafficked to other districts as domestic help from Gaumul and Himali rural municipalities in Bajura.

 

Some well-to-do families from towns take the children from poor families to their houses in the name of providing them education. These children are mostly engaged in household works in town.

 

Women and Children Office, Bajura, stated that as many as 51 children from Gaumul and 22 from Himali rural municipalities were taken to other districts to be employed as domestic help.

 

The office further stated that people engaged in such business convince the parents of these children saying that they will provide good education and care to their children. The office informed that the children were taken to Kathmandu, Kailali, Kanchanpur and Banke, among other districts of the country for domestic work.

 

Chairman of Gaumul Rural Municipality Hari Rokaya said that former teacher at Kriti Chaur Secondary School Ramananda Joshi and some other people took the children to cities promising the parents a good future for their children. “As many as 58 children were taken to the cities,” he said, adding that eight children had returned to their houses. Rokaya informed that the remaining children were out of contact.

 

It was also revealed that most of the children were used as domestic workers at high profile officers’ and businessmen’s houses. “We have urged the District Administration Office to find the children and rescue them,” he said.

 

The children, who had returned to their houses, said that they were employed as domestic workers. A minor Bharat Rokaya, who had escaped from a house, said that he was taken to Dhangadi in the name of giving education. “But I was engaged in household work rather than sent to school,” he added. He said that he had escaped from there when he went to the nearby market to buy goods.

 

Chief District Officer as well as District Child welfare Committee Coordinator Luk Bahadur Chhetry said that children were not recommended by the concerned ward, rural municipality or child welfare committee. “It is human trafficking and action will be taken against traffickers after fair investigation,” he informed. CDO Chhetri said that his office had sent letters to the local levels to collect data and identify the whereabouts of these children who were taken to other districts.

 

Acting Chief at Women and Children Office, Bajura, Ganga Tiwari said that initiatives would be taken to learn about the condition of the children and the office would rescue the children soon.