Shine Together Care Experienced Network Nepal

Identity & Justice: A Call from Care-Experienced Young People

This statement comes from young people who have been removed from various institutions and have lived experience of the care system.

Today, we came together with government representatives, child rights bodies, civil society organizations, and legal advocates in a program focused on Identity and Justice. We shared our lived realities—not as statistics or reports, but as truth from experience.

We are the story,
We are the truth,
We are the evidence to change the policy.

A central issue we raised is identity loss. For many of us, identity has been changed, erased, or fragmented—through shifts in name, culture, language, religion, and even legal identity. For some, citizenship itself remains a major challenge.

We are also deeply concerned for the 10,193 children in 366 child care home or institutional care who are currently living , who may face similar identity-related challenges when they transition out of care.

One reflection shared today captured this reality clearly:
We feel like a pendulum—never fully belonging to family after reunification, and not fully belonging to the institutions where we spent much of our lives.

This is not just an individual experience. It reflects systemic gaps that require urgent attention.

Key messages from care-experienced young people:
• Children and young people must be meaningfully involved in all policies and decisions that affect their lives
• The State must take full responsibility for citizenship and legal identity, rather than relying on temporary care institutions
• No child should grow up without family, belonging, and a protected identity
• Institutional harm or exploitation must be addressed through strong legal accountability
• Care-experienced young people must be included in policy-making process, not only consultations

Every care experienced youth want safe environment even after leaving the care system.

LET'S THINK !!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Care reform must not only focus on children entering care system but also those transitioning out of the care system"

#बालअधिकार

जिम्मेवार सञ्चारमाध्यम, बालमैत्री पत्रकारिता! 📷📺🎙️

निर्वाचनको समयमा सही सूचना प्रवाह गर्न र बाल अधिकारको संरक्षण गर्न सञ्चारमाध्यमको भूमिका अपरिहार्य हुन्छ। 'बाल अधिकारको संरक्षणका लागि निर्वाचन प्रक्रियामा गर्न हुने र गर्न नहुने कुराहरू' अनुसार पत्रकार तथा सञ्चारगृहहरूले निम्न कुरामा ध्यान दिनुपर्छ:

✅ गर्न हुने (Dos):

समाचार सम्प्रेषण गर्दा पत्रकारिता आचारसंहिता तथा बालमैत्री आचारसंहिताको पूर्ण पालना गर्ने ।

बालबालिकाको गोपनीयता, मर्यादा र सम्मानको संरक्षण गर्ने ।

बाल हेल्पलाइन १०९८, प्रहरी १०० र खोजतलास १०४ जस्ता नम्बरहरू प्राथमिकताका साथ प्रसारण गर्ने ।

बाल सुरक्षा र अधिकारका विषयलाई समाचारमा प्राथमिकता दिने ।

❌ गर्न नहुने (Don'ts):

बालबालिकाको पहिचान खुल्ने फोटो, भिडियो वा व्यक्तिगत विवरण प्रकाशन/प्रसारण गर्ने ।

सनसनीपूर्ण समाचारका लागि बालबालिकाको पीडा वा डरको प्रयोग गर्ने ।

बालबालिका विद्यालय छोडेर राजनीतिमा लागेको विषयलाई प्रशंसा गर्ने वा सामान्यीकरण गर्ने ।

बालबालिका र परिवारलाई हानी पुर्‍याउने घृणात्मक वा भ्रामक सामग्री फैलाउने ।

सञ्चारमाध्यम बाल अधिकारको पहरेदार बनोस्, उल्लंघनकर्ता होइन।

Care Aware Day Week 2026!

REMINDER...

Care experienced voices are powerful and valuable. As a care experienced young people, we believe lived experiences should be shared with informed consent and mutual understanding. Our stories are not PROMOTIONAL content. They are deeply personal journeys and a part of our identity. Oganizations working for the rights of Care experienced children and young people must ensure transparency, respect, and ongoing consent. We appreciate the work being done to support voices of care experienced children and young people. However we would like clarity on how our story is being used and whether our consent was fully documented.

Care Aware Day 2026

Today we celebrate Care Aware Day — a day dedicated to recognizing the strength, resilience, and ambition of care-experienced children and young people.

This year’s theme, The Future Starts With Us, is a reminder that young people in care are not waiting for opportunity — they are already leading the change that defines tomorrow.

Care experience does not define potential —It develops awareness, courage, and leadership.

Care Aware Day is not just about recognitions. Its about paying attention to the experiences of children and young people in care and after care to invest in their futures.

Let’s listen.
Let’s challenge stigma.
Let’s become truly care aware.

Last month, Shine Together organized a two-day art and advocacy event, Stories From Care: From Care to Courage, to honor and amplify the real stories of children and young people who have grown up in institutional care. Through expressive art, interactive activities, heartfelt conversations, and a mental health fair, the event challenged deeply rooted myths about institutional care. Most importantly, it created a safe and compassionate space where these stories were not only shared, but truly seen, heard, and respected bringing communities together through empathy, understanding, and hope.

Due to the extreme remoteness of the Karnali region, many children are at risk of trafficking and separation from their biological families, causing deep psychological harm to both children and their families. This harsh reality is one of the main reasons why this event served as a powerful tool for advocacy in the Karnali region. While Karnali holds immense potential through tourism, agriculture, and natural resources, its most vulnerable voices children are often unheard. For many, institutional care becomes a reality not by choice, but due to poverty, isolation, limited access to quality education, and family breakdowns.

Every child has the right to belong in their own safe families and communities for their holistic development. The stories shared through this initiative remind us that behind every statistic is a child longing for care, belonging, dignity, and opportunity.

We were joined by more than 300 audiences including governments, CSO, care experienced children and youth, community people and journalists. The major highlights of the events were Panel discussions on the theme- Care to Courage, artivism, mental health fair, anonymous letter to government and policy maker to prevent unnecessary family separations and Art your mind sessions.

matters