Pakistan’s street children’s plight in focus at the policy brief

Islamabad: Street children are one of the most vulnerable and marginal groups in Pakistan. Over the years, the number of street children has increased — there are an estimated 1.5 million street children in Pakistan.

With Pakistan’s rapid urbanisation estimated at 2.53 per cent per year, 50 per cent of the urban population is living in informal settlements (slums or katchi abadis) which further exacerbates the phenomenon of ‘street-connected children.’

According to a policy brief ‘Street-connected children in Pakistan: Education and Protection Challenges’ this vulnerable group faces a number of challenges, while living in abject poverty and often exposed to deprivation and danger on the streets.

The document was launched by the National Commission on the Rights of Child (NCRC) in partnership with Cities for Children Pakistan and touches upon major focus areas.

Street kids part of 22.8m out of school kids

Street-connected children are a part of the 22.8 million out-of-school — children demographic — which involves choosing between work and school, barriers to entry, and lack of accessibility and quality learning.

According to the document, ‘Street Children’ is a wide-ranging term and includes refugee kids, economically displaced, disaster-affected and migrant children.

They are among the most vulnerable and ignored groups in Pakistan both by the state and the society and if deprived of proper support and environment they may soon fall into begging and crime.

Protection risks include neglect, exploitation by urban gangs, physical, emotional and sexual violence and exposure to substance abuse.

Risk of slipping into gangs

A number of gangs in major cities are involved in pushing children into begging on streets, but no one has taken action against them.

NCRC Chairperson, Afshan Tehseen Bajwa, spoke about the day-to-day marginalisation faced by such children, and called upon the state to devise a national-level framework for decriminalisation and de-stigmatisation of street children.

In addition, the existing legal provisions about vagrancy in special and penal laws should be done away with. “It is the duty of the state to ensure their proper rehabilitation and reintegration in the society,” said she.

Discourse around street kids welcomed

Co-author of the policy brief, Cities for Children Founder, Madeeha Ansari, said: “It’s wonderful seeing the discourse around street-connected children evolving in progressive ways. We need to hear from children and communities, to design the systems of support they need. After all every child has the right to a childhood.”

Susan Andrew, Child Protection Specialist UNICEF, held the policy brief was in fact a call to action to the government, the civil society organisations, and all partners involved working for the child right cause to focus on long-term, holistic child-rights centred approach to help children associated with the streets.

Children are right holders, and should be given the dignity of education and protection, among others.”

Wide encompassing term

According to the policy brief, ‘street-connected children’ is a wide-encompassing term, capturing the diverse backgrounds, experiences, and identities of children for whom the streets are a central reference point of their identities and a source of survival.

They can include refugees, economic, displaced, ethnic and disaster-affected migrants. Some may be unaccompanied, but many also have homes and strong community ties.

The NCRC policy brief recommends holistic policy addressing the needs of the street-connected children, which centers on a child rights-based approach to ensure improved access to their rights, especially education and protection.

In terms of legislative reforms, there is a need to revisit the relevant federal and provincial legislations — especially decriminalising poverty, homelessness, and deprivation of shelter.