Thu, 15 October 2026
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Thu, 15 October 2026
By Ajay Shah,Mahottari, Oct. 15: Around 21.3 per cent of children in Madhes province are experiencing multidimensional deprivation. An analysis of access to education, healthcare, nutrition and basic facilities has revealed that children in the province have a relatively poor standard of living.
According to a report by the National Statistics Office, 26.2 per cent of children under the age of five in Madhes province suffer from stunting. Similarly, 60.7 per cent of infants and children aged between six and 23 months do not receive an adequate and diverse diet.
These conditions are likely to affect children’s health, physical and mental development, and their ability to access opportunities in the future. Stakeholders have said that effective policies and programmes are needed to expand access to education, healthcare, nutrition and basic services to improve children’s well-being.
Nawal Yadav, a member of the Provincial Policy and Planning Commission, Madhes said it was a matter of concern that the condition of children remained distressing in a province full of potential.
He stressed that programmes related to education, healthcare, nutrition and basic services should be given priority to ensure children’s overall development. He also said that policies should be formulated and programmes implemented with children’s needs and problems at the centre in order to improve their quality of life.
Dhundiraj Lamichhane, a statistics officer at the National Statistics Office, said that expanding access to education, healthcare and drinking water, alongside prioritising digital literacy, was essential to reducing multidimensional deprivation among children.
The report shows that children from disadvantaged families and those whose mothers have lower levels of education are at greater risk of multidimensional deprivation.
It notes that a family’s economic circumstances, access to education and the availability of basic services directly affect children’s living standards.
The report highlights the need to develop evidence-based plans, identify at-risk families and implement targeted programmes to improve children’s circumstances.
Effective coordination among the provincial government, local authorities and stakeholder organisations is considered essential to ensuring children in Madhes Province have access to adequate nutrition, healthcare, education and basic facilities.
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