Sanam Chitrakar

Human Rights - Nepal (South Asia)

“Children migrate from rural area to urban areas due to various socio-economical problems. In fact, the children are found to be migrating haphazardly without having much information about the place they are going to. This leads the children to be even most vulnerable to exploitation. My aim is to inform the children about potential danger that the children might enter.”

Since OIYP, Sanam’s project with migrant children has gone very well. Sanam’s organisation CONCERN has produced brochures, posters, pamphlets and booklets including fact case studies and stories that have been distributed widely among those organisations with existing networks at various levels. The project has been funded by Save the Children in Norway.

Sanam’s other work focuses not on children but on young people.  Sanam says that in Nepal, there is a lot of focus on children but no focus on young people.  There is no official age period defined as ‘youth’ and those who hold power do not want to involve young people in decision-making. There is only one youth organisation in the country. When Sanam joined CONCERN , the organisation had only programs for very young children and none for young people aged above 14 years old.

Sanam’s long term vision is a more holistic approach to the problems facing youth in Nepal.  Through a Youth and Sports Ministry in the government issues affecting the lives of young people could be addressed more adequately.