After the Earthquake, Protecting Nepal's Vulnerable Children

At a relief camp in Kathmandu, a group of volunteers quietly go from tent to tent, writing the names of the children they meet, their parents' names and phone numbers and then slip the chit into the child's pocket. But not before they explain patiently to each child what they must do in the event that they are lost or get separated from their parents.

This small chit of paper can make a world of difference especially when it comes to protecting unsuspecting, vulnerable children. They also explain what they are doing to the parents, making them aware to the dangers that lurk around them, as last month's huge earthquake has forced a majority of residents to sleep in open fields or in temporary shelters.

Archana Tamang Nepali, Human Rights and Equality consultant explains why this seemingly simple exercise is so important. "This has been proved in the past. Wherever people have been rendered vulnerable, there are traffickers on the lookout for children and sell them for all forms of slavery, including trafficking them for labour exploitation, sexual slavery. People are saying in the camp that "bad people" are looming around to take advantage of the situation," she told NDTV.

Activists say an estimated two lakh children are trafficked from Nepal every year and destruction in this post-quake scenario is fertile ground for traffickers to be on the prowl.

One resident, Sushma Kapani, couldn't find her seven year old son last week. In a big relief camp in Kathmandu he went out to play but soon got lost. "I ran helter-skelter looking for him," she said, and added, "Fortunately, a lady who lives in our neighbourhood recognised him and brought him back. He was lost somewhere outside the gate."

Not everyone, though, is as lucky. And to ensure that vulnerable children are taken care of, international and local agencies are setting up child friendly spaces in the relief camps. These are essentially areas demarcated for children, like a tent, where they can sing, dance, play, do group activities, draw, colour. It not only keeps children gainfully occupied, but at a time that many are out of school, it's also a good way for children to deal with any trauma they may be facing.

UNICEF has said that an estimated one million children in Nepal will not be able to return to school if urgent steps are not taken, in the interim, steps like these are crucial to ensure not just their education but also their protection from abuse and exploitation.