Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum

Issue: Street Children

Overview
Children under 15 years comprise 40% of Bangladesh's population of 124 million and among them 16% are less than 5 years. About 5.4 million children work in the formal sector, forming 11.3% of the total children labour force. Children working in the non-formal sector are a sizeable number and may run into millions. In the non-formal sector many of the children work on the streets and they are known as street children. The under development, such as poverty, over population, unemployment and illiteracy. With the escalation of rural landlessness and consequent large scale urban migration, poor working children on the streets have to fend for themselves and they play an increasingly crucial role in family survival.

The definition of a street child is somewhat complex, it is important to distinguish between the child who lives on the street, day and night, and child who works on the street and returns to a family. Between these groups is the third phenomenon of the many families who lives in the street with their children, in the formula of "on" or "off" the street, the most vulnerable street children are the ones who live alone on the street without family, and those who are abandoned by their family.

The number of street children in Dhaka city has been estimated at 215,000. Out of which 100,000 are girls. A most conservative estimate by the department of Social Services indicates that there are at least 188,597 street children in five regions of Dhaka. At the national level, an estimate done in 1990 found 1.8 million children on the streets of Bangladesh and by the year 2000, this figure is expected to raise to three to four million.

The above surveys also identified various street occupations of these children. Children work mostly as vendors, car cleaner, beggars, newspaper sellers, flower sellers as well as in hazardous jobs such as tempo helpers, brick chippers, rag pickers, factory workers etc. The average working age starts anywhere between 6 to 8 years. Working time ranges from 8 to 12 hours, paying an average income of Tk-350 (US $ 10) per month.

The image and protection of the street children varies according to our understanding of the situation on the street. The middle class concept of children as innocent, dependent and weak cannot accommodate the "adult" qualities of a street child, who is independent and street-wise, and often seen as an element of the underworld-family-less, vagabonds, non-literate, even criminal, and a would be drug addict. On the other hand, those working closely with street children feel the impact of their integrity, dependability, intelligence and innocence. Given the trauma of their existence and the lack of societal support, the worthy potential in these children as citizens of Bangladesh is being lost to the vicious elements of the street.

Access the street child to basic amenities - primary education, health and legal protection is largely excluded under the present policies and programs. Substandard housing and overcrowded homes drive children to the streets, where absence of sanitation, and safe water causes disease and avoidable death. Malnutrition results in various diseases and disabilities that threaten the lives of the street children as they struggle on their own. The life pattern and poverty of the street children especially the number of non-literate in the country. Thus, not only in terms of poverty and basic needs, but also in terms of the manifold social, physical and sexual abuse they face in their daily lives, the street children remain the most vulnerable group and a serious challenge to the countries development. The ARISE project funded by UNDP through the Ministry of Social welfare has taken some positive measures which has covered only 45000 street children still the need are demanding high. So that BSAF is the only appropriate body, which can play a lobbying, and mass awareness campaigns through out the country to face these challenges.

Planning matrix

Expected Out Come	Major Activity	Implementation Strategy	Time Frame
01.Street children issue will be included in National Children Policy and PRSP	· Preparation & dissemination of user-friendly version of National Children Policy. · Monitor the implementation process of NPA · Preparation of periodic report and its mass dissemination	· Advocacy and lobbying with relevant Government agency and policy makers · Situation analysis · Review/Study · Workshop/Seminar/Training at grassroots/sub-National and National level · Involvement of local and member organizations	2004 2005-2014 Every Year Every Year Every 2^nd Year
02. Street Children rehabilitated in the mainstream	· Create avenue accommodating street children in the mainstream in the light of UNCRC · Establish online services for street children and other stakeholders · Establish rehabilitation center · Documentation and dissemination of good practices.	· Lobbying/ Advocacy with relevant Government agency and policy makers · Workshop/ Seminar/Orientation/ training at grassroots, sub-National and National level · Alliance building · Research/study Involvement of local institution and member organizations	2004-2006 2004-2014 Every Year Every Year Every Year
03. Children Parliament discussed about activities regarding Street Children	· Arrange question and answer session · Debate on the issue	· Parliament sessions · Parliamentary committee	Every year from 2006