street children

 

Street children or street urchins are homeless children who live on the street – in particular, those that are not taken care of by parents or other adults. Street children live in abandoned buildings, containers, automobiles, parks, or on the street itself.

A great deal has been written defining street children. The problem is that there are no precise categories but rather a continuum ranging from children who spend some time in the streets but basically live at home to those who live entirely in the streets and have no adult supervision or care.

A widely accepted set of definitions, commonly attributed to UNICEF, defines street children into two main categories:

1. Children on the street are those engaged in some kind of economic activity ranging from begging to vending. Most go home at the end of the day and contribute their earnings to their family. They may be attending school and retain a sense of belonging to a family. Because of the economic fragility of the family, these children may eventually opt for a permanent life on the streets.

2. Children of the street actually live on the street (or outside of a normal family environment). Family ties may exist but are tenuous and are maintained only casually or occasionally.^[1]

Estimates vary but one often-cited figure is that the number of children living independently in the streets totals between 100 million and 150 million worldwide, and it is forecasted that - by 2020 – the number will increase to 800 million.^[2]

Street children exist in many major cities, especially in developing countries, and may be the subject of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or even in extreme cases murder by "clean up squads" hired by local businesses.^[3]

In Latin America, a common cause is abandonment by poor families unable to feed all their children. In Africa, an increasingly common cause is AIDS.

Street Children in Katmandu, Nepal

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Street children represent a phenomenon which appeal to people’s feelings and awake their sympathy. Most people have through the media been introduced to different aspects of street children’s life. Such reports mostly begin or end with the misery of these urchins' life. The hardship of street life should not be underestimated; neither should it be the only interest in all coverage of street children. It is important not to neglect the abilities and resources street children possess.

How do street children manage their daily life? There are two different aspects of the life of street children. Firstly, street children are mostly an urban phenomenon. Secondly, street children do not have a family who is fully capable of caring for them. Hence the social and material structures of the city have fully or partly replaced the family’s functions.

Street child is a concept referring to a child living out daily life on the street. It is reasonable to presume that there is a special relationship between street children and their place. Through applying geographical concepts and theoretical frameworks we gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between the street children and Kathmandu city. Within geography, research concerning street children is limited.

A study has been carried out in Kathmandu. It was chosen due to the city’s size and the number of street children. Kathmandu is a growing city but the small size of the city core makes it possible to gain a fair overview of the street children’s situation. The number of street children in Kathmandu is increasing parallel to the city growth, but Nepal has not reached Indian or Brazilian proportions yet.

Information about Street Children - Nepal (UNICEF)

Background: Population: 23.4 million (52% under 18). One of the poorest countries in the world (49% of the population living in absolute poverty). Estimated 40,000 street children in Nepal, of whom 4,500 are homeless. Although street children in Nepal are relatively few, it is a growing problem: there is great concern that the phenomenon will become unmanageable without immediate preventive action. More than 60% of street children belong to the Dalit ‘untouchable’ community (compared with approx. 17% of the population as a whole). An estimated 46% of street children are illiterate. It has only been a decade since civil society has raised the issue of street children and child labour in Nepal.

Achievements: Enactment of the Children’s Act 1992 and the Child Labour Prohibition and Regulation Act 2000. The existence of NGO networks and activities such as centres (transit, drop-in, rehabilitation), appropriate education, school enrolment programmes, vocational training, health support and mobile clinics, family reintegration, recreation and advocacy (including workshops, research and surveys, photo exhibitions on child labour, children’s paintings, street drama etc.).

Constraints and challenges: Dangerous and unhealthy living environments and the resulting untreated illnesses and frequent injuries that entail. Lack of adequate emotional support, food, shelter and safe places to sleep and store belongings, leading to inability of street children to save money. Dependency of newcomers to the street on more ‘experienced’ street children. Involvement of street children in criminal activities (currently limited to petty theft etc in the Patan area). A survey on HIV/AIDS among street children has not yet been conducted by any organisation to date.

Lessons learned: Most programmes are needs-based rather than rights-based and are limited to ad hoc, community scale interventions without integration into a holistic approach to reduce duplication and maximise effectiveness. Programmes that fail to address sustained support for family reintegration will often result in the child returning to the streets. Sustainable rehabilitation depends on home visits and local fieldwork, rather than superficial intervention. Programme activities have not yet addressed root causes, nor have implementation agencies been successful in developing preventative programmes.

Recommendations: An integrated approach is needed involving government, NGOs and INGOs. A advocacy campaign is required to raise public awareness, and the creation of a national hotline. There needs to be a more cooperative, less competitive atmosphere among NGOs. Programmes need to extend to the street itself rather than remaining based in institutions. Community-level family support programmes and the development of cottage industries is necessary using local resources and labour. The creation of a counselling / socialisation centre in urban areas to provide moral and physical support, including provision of lockers for children’s belongings and washing facilities. The provision of continued appropriate education and integration into the formal school system. Vocational training needs to be supported by job guarantees on completion of training. Improvement of first aid services to street children and support for rural repatriation if desired ae also urgently needed.

Kathmandu city There are estimated to be between 800 and 1200 children living on the streets in Kathmandu Valley (CWIN home page). The children come from different castes and ethnic groups. Their means of livelihood are numerous; rag picking, portering, tourist guides, street vending, begging, and working in hotels represent some of their activities. Street children live in different locations within Kathmandu. Due to restrictions in time it was necessary to focus on a limited number of locations. Field studies were carried out in three different areas in Kathmandu; Thamel, Indra Chowk and Anamnagar-Baneshwor:

Thamel Tourism is one of the main sources of income in Nepal. During the last twenty years Thamel has experienced a great expansion of the tourist industry, and Thamel has become the major tourist area in Kathmandu. Thamel is the place the backpackers head for. The guesthouses lay side by side, interrupted by international restaurants, bars, supermarkets, souvenir shops and shops selling all kinds of curious garments. Thamel offers everything the tourists from the West need to feel like home. Along with the increase of tourists there has been an increase in the number of street children in Thamel. A number of the children interviewed in Indra Chowk said that Thamel was the only place they were afraid to go.

Indra Chowk Indra Chowk and Basantapur are some of the busiest areas in downtown Kathmandu. It is one of the major shopping areas with shopping centers, restaurants and all kinds of stores and stalls. Indra Chowk also houses Kathmandu's greatest tourist attraction, Hanumandhokha. Hanumandhokha is an open space surrounded by a number of temples and the old palace. Facing Hanumandhokha is the home of the goddess, Kumari. It is one of the main destinations of foreign tourists.

Gaushala Gaushala is located in northern Kathmandu. This is the area where the Hindu temple Pashupatinath is located. There are many other important temples like Guiyeshwori. Many Hindu tourists from India and Nepal arrive here. Many western tourists also visit. Hence the street children like to stay here.

Child labor and children's rights in Nepal On paper the rights of the children in Nepal are well taken care of, but when it comes to executing these laws and regulations the reality is different. For example, child marriage still exists as a part of the social tradition in Nepalese society in spite of legal prohibition. It is clear from observation and surveys that law and acts signed to prevent child labor are also widely ignored.

-UN Convention on the Rights of the child. Nepal is one of the twenty countries, which signed the UN Convention on the rights of the child. -Children’s Act 1992. This act covers the very basic rights of the child including child labor prohibition and child rehabilitation for the children at risk. This law also gives the child’s right to education and survival.Nepal has ratified the convention on the rights of the child and the ILO minimum age employment convention.

Child labor has been seen as a way of life in Nepal for years. In the rural economy, children have played a significant role in family subsistence, fetching water, collecting firewood, grazing cattle, caring for younger children and supporting parents in the fields. In addition to farm labor, children can be seen performing different kind of work; breaking rocks, weaving carpets, domestic service, begging, catering in hotels and teashops, portering, guiding, bus conductor, rag picking and prostitution. The issue of child labor can not be viewed in isolation, because this is a consequence of the country’s exploitive socio-economic and political reality. In Nepal child labor is mostly directly linked to poverty. The simple necessity of having food and shelter, and factors such as unemployment or underemployment among adult family members or the death of the breadwinner, compel children to work from an early age. Street children are also counted as child labor when they do different economic activities for their living.

The category of street child – “Khate”

Street children

Within the category street child there is another type, Khate. There have been several discussions to how street children should be defined. The various definitions concentrate on the amount of time the children spend on the street, how frequently the street children have contact with their parents and the street children’s behavior. The UNICEF website operates with the categories ‘children of the street’ and ‘children on the street’. ‘Children on the street’ implies that the children work on the street and return home in the evenings. They live together with parents or guardians and contribute economically to the household. ‘Children of the street’ refer to the children who live their life on the street. They sleep, eat and work on the street. The street has become the place of survival serving both as home and workplace. ‘Children on/off the street’ are categories, which gives the impression of two distinct groups. In most societies only a small percent of the children working on the street live on the street completely. The majority of the children fluctuate between home, the street and the variety of programs that exist to help them. This is also the case with the street children in Kathmandu. Only a small percentage of the children do not have any contact with their parents or other members of their family. Some of the children have daily contact with their parents, some once a week, some monthly and some only go home during the festivals or if they have money to contribute to the household. Street children are both genders although they are far more likely to be male in the developing world. Street children are usually more than 5 years of age but not old enough to be perceived as adults. They work in urban streets without adult supervision. They live without their parents although they keep some contact with them. They are not the children of the working poor.

Khate Khate represents a category which originates from the street children themselves. The children who worked as rag pickers described themselves as khate. Rag pickers collect plastic and other recyclable goods and sell it. The ragpickers created the word khate because they do not have the possibility to save their earnings and spend it all immediately. The khate identity hinges upon doing rag picking and spending all the earnings on food and fun. The rag pickers called themselves khate so it would be easier to explain to others what kind of work they do. Upon request they would answer that they do ‘khate kam’ (khate work). It may sound strange but it is felt they do good work. The khate category has been transformed from being a positive self-produced identity category to a depreciatory category used by the general public to mock the street children. Everybody now knows that ‘khate work’ means collecting plastic and the children dislike the khate identity because it is socially degrading. The street children look down upon rag picking because it is a job that involves dirt. Khate was a category created by the street children so they could in a neutral way explain their work.

Organizations working for Street Children In Kathmandu

There are many INGOs and NGOs who work for the betterment of street children apart from the Nepal Government. They work in different ways like giving food, shelter, education and many other asiistances. Some of those important organizations are as follows:  Baal Bhojan,  Chandrodaya  CEHD Nepal  CWIN- Nepal  LALS  Sahara Samuha  Sath – Sath  Saathi  Voice of Children  VPO Women Cell

Conclusion From interviewing different street children, we found that in Thamel the street children perform economic practices connected to tourists, guiding and selling marijuana also. They use different places within Thamel to sleep, eat, find medical care and wash. In Indra Chowk the street children also have economic practices related to tourists and the local society mostly through begging, petty theft and pick pocketing. In the evenings they go to the food programmes and to eat dahlbhat. During the nights and the early morning they wander around the city searching for recyclable goods.

The street children are free and they do not have any obligations. There is no actual reason for the street children to have any form of routine or stay in an area for a longer time. Despite their freedom they often choose to stay in one place.

Street children form different gangs and live together. These gangs can be seen as a substitute for families. Through the gang the street children have friends who help them if they become sick, who give them food if they do not make any money and help them fight if they are threatened.

Appendix 3 Abbreviations: CBS Central Bureau of Statistics CWIN Child Workers in Nepal GDP Gross Domestic Product GNP Gross National Product HDR Human development report ILO International Labor organization NGO Non governmental organization UN United Nations UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund

Street Children in Russia

In Russia, street children usually find a home in abandoned sewage systems during the harsh winter. These underground homes offer space, shelter and most importantly of all, heat. Russia has up to 4 million street children, and one crime in four involves underage youths. Officially, the number of children without supervision is more than 700 000. However, experts believe the real figure has long been between 2 and 4 million.^[4]

Street children in India

The Republic of India is the seventh largest and second most populous country in the world. With acceleration in economic growth, India has become one of the fastest growing developing countries. This has created a rift between poor and rich; 22 per cent of the population lives below the income poverty line. Due to unemployment, increasing rural-urban migration, attraction of city life and a lack of political will India now has one largest number of child laborers in the world.

Street children are subject to malnutrition, hunger, health problems, substance abuse, theft, CSE, harassment by the city police and railway authorities, as well as physical and sexual abuse. Though Government of India has taken some corrective measures and declared child labor as illegal.

Street Children in Bucharest, Romania

The Council of Europe estimates that there are approximately 1000 street children in Bucharest, Romania, though estimates range from several hundred to 10,000. These children are homeless as a result of the policies of former Communist ruler Nicolae Ceauşescu, who forbade contraception in the hopes of ruling a populous nation, or of his successors, who consider the economy of greater importance than social welfare. Many of these children are abandoned or run away from home because their parents are too poor to feed them.

Some Romanian street children are preyed on by sex tourists, mainly from western Europe, and many can be seen inhaling aurolac (a paint thinner) from plastic bags, the substance of choice for those of limited means.

Street children in Brazil

Estimates on the numbers of Brazilian street children vary from 200,000 to 8 million. In one recent survey in São Paulo, 609 children were found to be sleeping on the streets. At least 50 were under 12 and unaccompanied by adult relations.

The main means of surviving on Brazil's streets are: finding food in rubbish bins or on refuse tips; being financially exploited by street sellers or as shoe shiners; stealing; prostitution; drug running.

Street children are known to receive beatings from the police or members of the public and also can face imprisonment, malnutrition, disease and AIDS.

Underlying causes

Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world with a population of approximately 190 million people. The disparity between the rich and the poor in Brazilian society is one of the largest. The richest 1% of Brazil's population control 50% of its income. The poorest 50% of society live on just 10% of the country's wealth.

Street children are an urban problem which has roots in rural poverty, neglect and the enforced, even violent displacement of large numbers of people from the land.

This problem is accentuated by the fact that the urban population is becoming younger. In Latin America alone, projections for the year 2020 point to 300 million urban minors, 30% of whom will be extremely poor [Ref: Independent Commission on International Issues]. 78% of the Brazilian population live in cities and towns.

The persistent poverty, rapid industrialisation and the burgeoning of urban shanty towns (favelas), generate massive social and economic upheaval. Profound poverty means family disintegration, violence and break-up become more prevalent.

Death squads

Most of Brazil's street children expect to be killed before they are 18. Between 4 and 5 adolescents are murdered daily and that every 12 minutes a child is beaten [Ref: Brazil's National Movement of Street Children]. Conservative figures put the number at 2 killings every day. Many say that this is far too few to adequately address the problem.

There are reports that some children have been executed and/or mutilated. In July 1993, eight children and adolescents were killed in a shooting near the Candelária Church in Rio. This event was widely publicised around the world, and the routine killing of street children in Brazil was harshly criticised. As a result, the death squads moved underground. However, corrupt officials are still reputed to be involved - In São Paulo, 20% of homicides committed by the police were against minors in the first months of 1999. ^{[citations needed]}

The death squads have been met with little opposition from ordinary people, who feel threatened by gangs of children. Some members of the police force also fear the children, who are becoming knowledgeable witnesses to corrupt criminal activities by officials in the drug and prostitution business. ^{[citations needed]}

Drug gangs

Drug gangs now account for roughly half the child murders in Rio [Rio de Janeiro State Legislature]. Since the 1990s, a pervasive drug culture has been burgeoning. Today, Brazil ranks as the second biggest consumer of cocaine in the world, after the USA. As a result, in Rio's 680 favelas (where 25% of the city's population live) drug gangs control extremely violent areas. Some street children are recruited by such drug gangs and given guns for protection. They then traffic drugs and messages between sellers and buyers. A child's chance of dying in the drug areas of the favelas is "eight to nine times greater than in the Middle East". [Ref: Save The Children] The massive proliferation of small arms is a central cause.

References

See also

• Homelessness
• Orphan
• Runaway child

External links

• Consortium for Street Children

References

• Jubilee Action report "Brazilian Street Children"

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