Lost childhood: The plight of children living on the street
Street children in Bangladesh still lead a life full of miseries, as revealed in the Survey on Street Children 2022. A multi-faceted approach will be required to improve street children’s lives, addressing the root causes of their situation and finding solutions to prevent them
Nelson Mandela once said, "The true character of a society is revealed in how it treats its children."
Despite significant progress in child rights and child development in Bangladesh, the issue of street children remains a significant challenge.
While the government and civil society organisations have made significant efforts to improve the lives of children in Bangladesh, children living on the street in Bangladesh still face deprivation, extreme poverty, malnutrition, disease, illiteracy and violence.
Many of these children are forced to work in hazardous conditions, exposing them to physical and emotional harm. Additionally, the stigma and discrimination that street children face can make it difficult for them to access support and services.
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Though the issue has been in development discussion for decades, the updated situation was revealed in detail in the Survey on Street Children 2022, shared by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics recently.
As a signatory of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), Bangladesh got repeated recommendations from the UNCRC committee to address the issue.
In 2009, the committee recommended that addressing the issue of street children in Bangladesh will require a comprehensive and collaborative approach, including efforts to address poverty, improve access to education and healthcare, and provide support to families to prevent family breakdown and separation.
It will also require a commitment to protecting the rights and well-being of all children in Bangladesh, regardless of their background or circumstances.
The major challenge to deal with the issue is the lack of data and information. The exact number of street children in Bangladesh is unknown, and there is limited information on their demographics, living conditions, and needs.
One reason for this lack of data is that many street children are not officially recognised or registered by the government. They may not have birth certificates or other forms of identification, making it difficult to track their movements or access to services.
Additionally, many street children are highly mobile and may not stay in one location for long, making it challenging to conduct surveys or gather data.
Though different ministries and departments of government are mandated to provide services for these children, lack of role clarity and coordination has made the planned interventions scattered and non-comprehensive. As a result, we miss bringing the expected changes in the lives of these children.
Improving the rights of street children in Bangladesh requires a multi-faceted approach that addresses the root causes of their situation, protects their rights through policies and laws, raises public awareness, creates sustainable solutions through collaboration, and involves street children themselves in the process of finding solutions.
Poverty is one of the main factors that drive children to the streets. Therefore, policies and programs aimed at poverty reduction, such as increasing access to education and healthcare, creating job opportunities, and providing social safety nets for vulnerable families, could prevent children from ending up on the streets.
Family breakdown is another major factor that contributes to children living on the streets. Therefore, efforts should be made to strengthen families by providing them with the necessary support, such as counseling, financial assistance, and access to education and healthcare.
It is globally and locally evident that the preventive approach is more effective to address the issue of street children. Access to education is essential for preventing children from becoming street children. By providing quality education to children, they are more likely to stay in school and avoid the dangers associated with street life.
Child abuse and neglect can also lead to children running away from home and ending up on the streets. Therefore, measures should be taken to prevent child abuse and neglect, such as strengthening child protection systems and providing support to families at risk.
Laws and policies related to child rights and development also need to be updated to ensure effective collaboration among different duty-bearers to protect the rights of the children living on the street. These laws should be enforced by the government and relevant authorities to ensure that children are not subjected to abuse, exploitation or neglect on the streets.
Efforts should be made to raise awareness among the public about the plight of street children and the importance of protecting their rights. This could involve campaigns and advocacy programs that involve children and the community.
There should be a collaboration between the government, NGOs, and the private sector to create sustainable solutions to the problem of street children. This could involve creating job opportunities for parents, providing housing and shelter for children, and creating programs that focus on the reintegration of street children into mainstream society.
For this, a necessary budget and investment for the children will be needed with participatory planning and accountability mechanisms.
Finally, it is important to involve street children themselves in the design and implementation of programs aimed at improving their situation. By giving them a voice and involving them in decision-making processes, they can become active participants in their own development and contribute to the solutions that are being developed to address their needs.
To meet the SDG targets Bangladesh will require a comprehensive and collaborative approach for all the children, including efforts to address poverty, improve access to education and healthcare, and provide support to families to prevent family breakdown and separation.
It will also require a commitment to protecting the rights and well-being of all children in Bangladesh, regardless of their background or circumstances.
That commitment is expected from every corner of the state and society with an appropriate action plan, otherwise, we have to carry a big question mark along with our overall socioeconomic progress of the country.
The author is the Director of Child Protection and Child Rights Governance, Save the Children.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.
