21 January 2021, Banke: With an aim to ensure the children’s right to play games and participate in sports according to his or her age, as prescribed by Section 14 of the Act Relating to Children, 2018, Advocacy Forum-Nepal (AF) and Human Rights Network Banke handed over sports materials to the Child Correction Home, Banke amidst a small program at Child Correction Home, Banke. Representatives from Bank District Court, National Human Rights Commission, Banke District Court Bar Association among others were present in the program.
Facilitating the program, AF lawyer Basanta Gautam highlighted that education, health, basic skills, sports facilities are vital for the overall development of children. Thus, Correction Homes should make a proper arrangement of such necessary facilities to be a correction home in the real sense.
Speaking in the program, Honorable Judge Shyam Sundar Adhikari of Banke District Court stated that the aim to keep children at the Correction Home is to reform and prepare them for rehabilitation in the socierty. Hence, education, health, and creative activities, skills must be cared for and prioritized. Adhikari also stressed that the Correction Homes should facilitate children in correcting their wrongful actions and prepare them to be a good and responsible citizen.
On behalf of the children at the Correction Home, a child expressed gratitude towards AF for providing the sports materials. He also mentioned that playing sports will not only enhance their physical strength but also help them refresh their mind.
Bimala Kaucha Magar, the In-charge of the Correction Home thanked AF for the continuous support and stated that the government is not paying much attention towards the concerns of the Correction Home. Apart from the problem of overcrowding, there is a lack of access to medicines and emergency health service in the Correct Home and the Government is also delaying the distribution of winter clothes this year, she informed.
The sports materials were purchased with the fund from the event collectively organized by AF and Human Rights Network Banke on the occasion of 73rd International Human Rights Day (10 December 2021).
AF has been actively assisting Correction Homes throughout the country with an aim to strengthen the juvenile justice system in Nepal.
