Nepal's Orphanages: ~500 Registered (2018), But Many Unregistered

Current Picture (2024 Estimate)

The **Central Child Welfare Board (CCWB)** reported **503 registered child care homes** in 2018. However:

Critical Caveats

• Unregistered homes: Estimated 200–400+ operating illegally (no monitoring).
• "Orphanage" misnomer: 80%+ of children have **at least one living parent** — placed due to poverty, migration, disability, trafficking risk.
• Voluntourism driver: Foreign donations/volunteers sustain many homes; creates perverse incentive to recruit children.
• Districts: Concentrated in Kathmandu, Pokhara, Chitwan, Lalitpur.

Reform Efforts

• Children's Act 2018: Prioritizes family preservation; restricts institutionalization.
• CCWB/UNICEF: Reintegration programs; "Family First" campaign.
• Hague Adoption Convention: Nepal ratified 2009; intercountry adoption strictly regulated.

How to Verify

Check **CCWB official list** (updated periodically) or **National Child Rights Council (NCRC)**. Donate/volunteer only with orgs committed to **family reunification**, not institutional care.