Do we consider them as one of our own? Checkout today's HeadLine news on CNN about Nepali

veri veri sad. instead of being in school, having fun with friends they are forced to work to make a living.
it make me so sad and embarrased of our Nepal.

Aahh..the tough moral questions!! I cannot say this is a black or white topic. If the kids were left where they were, its not like they would be treated as princess..they would still be doing household work, working in the fields and walking couple miles a day fetching wood or water. They probably won't be sent to school either. Afterall, their parents cannot afford to feed them..right? If they are working in the urban household as helpers (CNN calls them slaves..freakin media! they know how to ruffle the water!) they are still doing the housework, minus the farming and parental care. Some lucky ones even go to school. So its a dicey situation. The kids are not worse off here, and they are fed. This is the economist side in me talking, but they are at least earning, maybe not for themselves...but for their parents and even the middleman. Its not like these kids were asked if they wanted to be sent away as domestic workers, they had no choice and if the parents decide to send them away, my guess is they figured the kids are better off this way.
Now the other side of the story. We have come so far from the stone ages but getting more and more dependent on others to do our share of the work. Be it be machines in the western world or poor kids in countries like Nepal, the haves have always exploited what money could buy. They say that if they can afford it, they can have it. And they are feeding and giving shelter to these workers who could have starved to death and doing brutal physical labor had they not migrated to the cities. So its a gain-gain situation for them. It sounds almost humanitarian! And they are getting someone to do their dirty work.
If everyone could be on the same page on this issue, we would have eradicated it long time ago. Unfortunately, its the reality, we do get children and minority to do the work even if it is illegal. Just stop calling them slaves for god sake!

It's a situation similar to foreigners coming to the US to work illegally in manual labor positions. If you think about it, they are exploitations too.


The kids from village come to Kathmandu seeking work and a better life
The foreigners come to the US seeking work and better life

The kids work for households for very little pay, but at least they eat better than if they were in the village. They might even get a chance to send some money home to their family. Their life is better than if they were in the village otherwise they would not make that choice in the first place.
The foreigners work for companies based in the US at very little pay, but at least their life standard is better than it was in their own countries. They even get a chance to send some money home.

Are foreigners working the US slaves? I don't think so.

i guess the children working are minor so it is like a big issue....these children might not want to work also..who knows???..because of their lazy, drunkard parents poor children are sent to other house to work only...no matter what type of facilities you get, for a children like them a house is house....if they don't get food also they still like their own house...i blame their parents for sending them...their lazy parents can't even work.....

and its a huge issue for CNN...because in USA if they find children like that working in other's house and not letting them study, it can be charged with crime .....but we can't compare USA and nepal...

True Bhusan, and agreed with all the folks who had similar opinion.
What is basic need of life?
"gaas, baas ani kapaas" haina ra
It is exploitation of child labor, but what is better: dying of empty stomach or atleast have a part "anna" in belly.
It's american media what can you expect,"til lai pahad banaucha"
But the fact is the coverage is "pahad" by itself.
I know, there are lots of folks who have "kanchaas and kanchis' (alot like sumita in the coverage) working for them back in nepal. Only if we could convince people the need of education for those future of nepal.

mother fugger..................child exploitaion and child slavery in nepal dosen't seems to stop.
when i was in nepal for a short while i was so sad by the plight of streets children of nepal.
when i went outside ktm i saw the same too. in fact i saw many children doing many laborious job that was not even meant for adult.
i agree that many children are sold to city dwellers but if only these people who owes these child slave could also send them to school and look after them in good manner.
but this is not the case. i believed that many child slaves are exploited and abused.

ya i know just sad. i dont think they sell their male child i think they only sell females. all government's fault. that stupid king has so much money doesnt even do anything to help these people.
does anyone know wht we can do to help these kids? in the video it said something abt incentives like give the family some money to keep the kids at school.

Guys , please come up with a resolution. You dont need to elaborate the already known issue, any further. Each and every Nepalese have witnessed it in his or her life but still nobody wants to make it an issue. And please dont make yourself comfortable comparing it with people who come to the US to work.
In the US, you have a freedom and as an employee, you have many rights, including the right not to be discriminated against or harassed, the right to be paid the minimum wage, as well as any overtime, the right to a safe workplace, the right to take leave to care for your or a family member's illness, birth, or adoption, and the right to privacy in personal matters.
These girls have no rights at all and have not many choices, they either work hard for food or die of hunger.

BostonGal, the only jibberish that caught my eyes from your bla bla bla was:

"Unfortunately, its the reality, we do get children and minority to do the work even if it is illegal. Just stop calling them slaves for god sake!"

The fact is- it IS goddamn slavery and you ARE dead wrong. Just because you/your family may have one or many, please dont use that pathetic line as your defense. Tell your family to stop being lazy and get their asses to work without exploiting baalbalaks. I'll send FBI to your place otherwise, I am NOT kidding. What a lazy no brainer!

Well, bugtraq. First and foremost I have to remind you that there are hundreds of families who still use child labor. You don't have to skip the reality altogether and jump head first on accusing my family. You simple dont know me or my family to assume what you have already assumed. Having requested that...would you rather just ignore the problem completely and blame it on those 'lazy asses' coz you dont have to feel responsible for it? Why is it that whenever there is these kind of moral issues, you point fingers and not think behind why is something happening to begin with? Is it the fault of the parents for having kids they cannot support? If they are poor and cannot support it, should they accept the poverty and keep the kids with them? And do these kids have the ability to choose? I think they are just forced to do it by their parents and middlemen. I understand that you dont like to think things through and try to understand what is the cause, why is it still going on and how can be stopped. You scream on top of your voice that IT IS SLAVERY because of the LAZY ASSES that are NOT your family, but everyone elses, and think that your dear friend FBI can solve all the problems and unjustice in the world....Dream on!

Whether it is due to extreme poverty or lack of education or both, child labor cannot be justified in any form. In an ideal scenario, government should take care of its citizens (kids,youth and elderly) but government alone cannot do everything. Especially an inefficient and a civil-war affected country like ours cannot make this issue a top-most priority.

If you want to help poor kids of Nepal or rescue a little kid from bonded servitude and puts her in school, you can choose to become a volunteer or assist following organizations financially:

The Nepalese Youth Opportunity Foundation
http://www.nyof.org/howToHelp/index.html

Nationwide Scholarship Program
http://nsp.sebsonline.org/index.asp

I am not saying sending dollars is the only way to eliminate this problem from our society. Kudos to the people who started this thread, those discussing this issue and are willing to spread awareness. Let's become a part of the change ourselves first. Let's be kind and generous towards those unfortunate kids in Nepal.

Freaking media!!!

It is very sad to see things like this but the fact is child labor happens all around the world even in the us as well.
The media has no right to point finger at nepal like its only happenin there. Yes, i understand that its not its not right to let kids to work but look at the situation, look at the circumstances.

Don't have to go back that much in history - children were good part of labor force in america and still childeren work for their pocket money!!

Good Solution: CNN should start a fund for Nepal's child labor Problem otherwise should shut the Fuc% up by calling them slaves .They are working .they are poor .They are treated equally bad at home.For a child ,There is no big difference.

Let me give you an example: Carpet industry of Nepal was booming in Nepal.I admit there was some exploitation of chidren.But what happend these foreign media bad mouthed the Nepal's carpet industry and People in west stopped buying carpets made in Nepal.Yes , Industry were out of buisness so little money these exploited children used to earn were left with no money.So , Being in headline is not good news for Nepal.

I agree with boston girl

Bostongirl,
Ever thought of changing your name to Boston ChatterBox? If not, highly recommended, and add rubbish to it if you like. You blatantly miss the point, you're going all over the place like a broken record with no tune.

Point in case- What you are claiming to be non-slavery very well happen to be slavery.

Dictionary.com- SLAVE:
"1.a person who is the property of and wholly subject to another; a bond servant.
2. a person entirely under the domination of some influence or person: "

Wow, that exactly fits the description, surprise? So, stop making nonsense excuses for the ones who are practicing and at the minimum acknowledge but discourage it. The more you talk, the more I'm led to believe that with mere existence of yappers like you, SLAVERY will continue for a long tyam. So San, can you ban her?

P.S.- YES FBI will resolve this issue. So do me a favor and relay the message to the culprits that its coming SOON.

It feel sad to read the news.. Family cannot afford it. At least the girls are earning their own living.. Its better to WORK and LIVE rather than die hungry stomach..Basic requirements counts most.

I think there is some truth and bits and pieces of fact in what the CNN reporter said. However, it was quite inappropriate to make the news sensational by saying 'sold for $25' when it goes on to say that it is a fee for annual bonded labor...not sold forever - if u know what I mean. Yeah these freakin' media make it sensational for their own interest. The other thing about the report is that it is totally lopsided and only shows one side of the story. Does he have any answer to the question what would have happened if subita or the like did not have that choice to come to valley...they would probably have been sold across the border for prostitution or even may have died of hunger or some disease. These hi-fi reporters should be thoroughly sensitized before they are allowed to speak anything of our culture...they almost always go tangentially and miss the target. how could CNN be so reckless to send such a jerk to nepal....they should be sued for sending a wrong message out to the world!

Bostongirl and her friends, who feel that they are doing the poverty stricken janajati a great favor by keeping their kids as "kaam garnes," this is what I have to say:

The essence of life isn't just FOOD, at least not for the humans. Have you guys ever thought of the future of these kaam garnes at your place? Have you guys ever looked at their kids and thought where they will end up? How would YOU feel if by some freak of an accident your parents are workers at a certain house? By default, you have to carry the masters' kids bags to school. Be ridiculed infront of their friends. All of these just cuz your parents have a different economic than their masters'. Believe me these examples are taken from the families that exploit child labor in their homes. I promise, I didnt make these up.

Its a shame to hear people try and defend child labor by comments like "its not a black or white issue." Heres a truth for you Bostongirl, child labor is a very black issue for the country's future. What do you think will be the future of a country where the kids see a great disparity between their upbringing and the kids of their employers? These issues give rise to movements like that of the maoists.

May be its time to give back. Yes, give back with no strings attached! If you are worried about these kids going hungry, take a scoop out of your plate and give it to them. They will repay you tomorrow. The way you are helping them today (by slaving them) they will avenge you tomorrow.

This is black Issue Admitted ..Food is not essence for Life not admitted.
No one's doing anyfavor admitted ..Life is given take relations u admit it.

No one here is saying that one should feel proud by making a child work.But come to the ground reality of Nepal.For Poverty striken family and its childeren its good only if they are helping people with household chores than being sold as prostitutes in India.

Big idealogcial any body BS easily when u have food in your stomach.
btw..bodega i like your dialogs ..good dialog..