Key Challenges for children in Nepal
- Nepal is vulnerable to landslides, floods, fires, and earthquakes. The country is still recovering from two massive earthquakes in 2015 that killed thousands of people and destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes, significantly setting back Nepal’s economic development.
- 43 percent of girls in rural areas marry before the age of 18.
- Despite the abundance of lakes and rivers, much of Nepal’s water is not safe to drink, contaminated by industry and domestic waste, as well as untreated sewage. This was made worse in 2015 after the earthquakes destroyed existing water and sanitation infrastructures.
- Over 3 percent of all children in Nepal die before the age of 5. One of the top causes of death for young children is waterborne illness, such as diarrhea.
How your support is helping children like Sarita
Sarita, 15, is a Plan International Youth Advocate devoted to doing all she can to end child trafficking in Nepal. “Children are not only the future of our country but they are the present too. When they are trafficked, I fear my country may never be able to develop or flourish.”
After participating in anti-trafficking and child rights training, Sarita began sharing her knowledge with peers in her adolescent girls’ group. But she didn’t stop there. Sarita and her fellow advocates began to lead workshops and awareness-raising events for parents and children in their community, helping them understand the dangers of trafficking and what to do if they are ever targeted.
“Child trafficking is a denial of their rights. That’s why I would like to ask everyone to come together to help stop child tracking,” Sarita explained. “Our country can only develop and flourish to the fullest if child trafficking is stopped.”