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Child Correction Homes Facing Problems; Overcrowding and Lack of Infrastructure Among Many
On one hand, due to overcrowding, children are susceptible to contracting Corona virus if infection is detected in the reform home and on the other hand, they are denied of the humane living conditions inside the facility due to lack of required provisions and standards for infrastructures in line with the standards of Child Correction Home (CCH). The child correction home is struggling with numerous issues such as insufficient drinking water service, limited toilets, improper sewage system, no telecommunication and internet service and so on. Children face problem in summer time during power cut off as there is lack of alternative to electricity. Due to insufficient funding, timely maintenance of amenities has not been possible. Further, their health condition is being compromised due to lack of regular health checkups, and essential medical services. Regarding the spread of skin infections caused by eczema, among the children, the Advocacy Forum (AF) representative has been coordinating with Medical Business Association, Banke to provide necessary medical assistance. The AF facilitated to conduct health camp twice to curb the spread of skin infection in the CCH. During that time, 40 children were suffering from eczema and it was widespread among children due to the overcrowding.
Again, the dire situation of the education system inside the reform home has left many children away from the access to education built by the government for them. The main objective of the CCH is to encourage children to conform to human values and norms, to empower them in accordance to their experiences in terms of crime they committed and prepare them for their reintegration in the society. However, due to the loose ends in terms of the infrastructure in the correction home, the environment is not conducive to their behavioral change and well being as envisioned. There is a lack of recreational activities for children, creating a situation for them to flee the facility. There is a lack of secured fencing facility.
Another problem relating to the children who turn 18 years old, but still is kept along with other children under 18. The Act Relating to Children, 2075, Article 43 (4), has clearly provisioned that the children who reach the age of 18 during his/her term in the facility should be kept separately from other children while serving his remaining period taking into account of improvement seen in his behaviors, skills and education gained.
A meeting comprising of representatives of Judicial Committees and advocates, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, the CDO, the jailor of Banke Prison, AF representatives and the in-charge of the Correction Home was held on 1 September 2020 to talk about the issues that the facility is grappling with at the moment. Taking the suggestion of AF into consideration, the meeting concluded that children above 18 cannot be handed over to prison directly rather they should be kept in a separate space in the prison as directed by the Court. Furthermore, Ram Bahadur Kurumwang, the Chief District Officer of Banke District indicated that they are trying for better infrastructure facility as requested by AF. Kurumwang informed that he has been appealing for funding from the Central Government in order to build necessary infrastructure for the Child Correction Home. He has also directed the Nepal Electricity Authority, Nepalgunj to resolve the electricity issues of the reform home. Bimala Kaucha Magar, the in-charge of Correction Home stated that she is hopeful about the progress as the CDO has been proactively appealing to concerned authorities to address the problems of the Correction Home.
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