August 5, 2007, By Nirakar Poudel, Media for Freedom, Nepal - An orphan from an early age, Madan Karki (name changed),14, used to work at his uncle's small farm in Jeevanpur of Dhading District, 50 kilometer west of capital. Madan's job was to take the cattle for grazing the whole day. One day, a family friend approached him with offer for work at his home in Kathmandu with a promise that he will be admitted in a school.

However, the man instead engaged him at a carpet factory in Kathmandu. Working like a bonded labor, Madan was forced to learn knotting wool rugs on heavy wooden looms. His workdays started at 4 am in the morning till 11 at night. The earthen floor of the factory was his bed. When the owner obtained a rush order, he and the other boys would have to work throughout the entire night. Despite his hard work, the owner always scolded and physically abused him.

After working in harsh conditions for about eight months in the factory, Madan –who was not paid - fled the factory to work as a helper in a gas tempo. Now, he earns about Rs 1000 (approximately $15) a month. Madan's case is not a unique one as this is the reality of many child workers in Nepal.

One of the significant factors that have forced children like Madan to work is poverty. His uncle could not afford school for him. Instead, he wanted Madan to help in his household chores.
As long as Madan assisted his uncle, his uncle did not have to spend extra money by employing a shepherd. Therefore, Madan was also contributing to his family income. However, it is against the law to make children work all day long by denying them education, entertainment and rest. But this law is rampantly violated.

"The ministry has been doing its best to rehabilitate the children working in risk areas," said spokesman of the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare.

According to a recently published report of Nepal Living Standard Survey II, more than 30 percent of the population lives below poverty line where parents income is not sufficient to cater to the basic needs of the family. Therefore, children are obliged to work to generate income to supplement the family earning.

Children supply their labor with nominal money. Since poor parents only care about their children's salary, which they receive, they are oblivious to the working situation of their children.
Although law exists to prevent child labor, statistics show that there are too many child labors in Nepal. According to ILO, there are 2.6 million children between the ages of 5 to 14 years currently working in Nepal. The National Census 2001 revealed that children aged below 14 years consist of 40 percent of total population.

Because Nepal's dependency on child labor is so deeply entrenched, only half of the children are allowed to complete the fifth grade of school. The ILO reports showed that. Children are employed in eighteen different sectors like in brick kiln, coal mines, child prostitution, mug house, leather processing industry, coal mine, stone quarrying, match factory, house-hold helper, bonded labor, street children, mine and carpet factory, drug trafficking, transport sector etc. About 1.4 million children are not provided the salary for their work and 1.27 million children are working in worst forms of labor.

There are many reasons for child labor in Nepal like poverty, illiteracy, and lack of employment, family problems, internal conflict, and the lack of law enforcement, cheaply available child labors and scant economic opportunities.

“The government should create new employment opportunities in rural as well as urban areas. Along with launching different skill development programs for unskilled labor, the government needs to enforce the child labor act strictly,” said an NGO worker.

Experts argue that education up to secondary level should be made free so that children will not be forced to drop out because of poor economic situation. Apart from enforcing law and addressing poverty, government also requires the help of the civil society to tackle this problem.
With the support from ILO and other INGOs like Save the Children Norway, Save the Children USA, and Child Workers in Nepal (CWIN), the situation has been gradually improving but there is still a long way to go before bringing about positive changes in the lives of children like Madan Karki.

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