Street children

• A child is any person less than or under 18 years of age
• A child requires special attention from parents/guardians from childhood into adulthood
• • Right to be brought up in a spirit of understanding, tolerance, friendship, peace, and universal brotherhood
  • Right to enjoy these rights regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national or social origin
• UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child includes:

  • Right to develop in an atmosphere of affection and security
  • Right to enjoy benefits of social security, nutrition, housing, and medical care
  • Right to free education
  • Right to full opportunity for play and recreation
  • Right to be among the first to receive protection and relief in times of disaster
  • Right to a name and nationality
  • Right to special care if handicapped
  • Right to be a useful member of society and to develop in a healthy and normal manner
• Children's Day:

  • Universal Children's Day is on November 14
  • National Children's Day in Nigeria is on May 27
• Children in difficult circumstances include:

  • Homeless children
  • Orphaned or abandoned children
  • Children separated from parents
  • Migrant/refugee children
  • Street children
  • Working children
  • Trafficked children
  • Children in prostitution
  • Children of sex workers/prostitutes
  • Children of prisoners
  • The girl child
  • Children with HIV/AIDS
  • Children affected by conflict
• Street children:

  • Defined by UNESCO as children who spend time without purpose in unusual locations
  • Estimated to be over 100 million globally
  • Major contributing factors include poverty, physical and sexual abuse, broken homes/dysfunctional families, loss of family through disease, wars, communal clashes, riots, natural/man-made disasters
• Risks in street children:

  • TB
  • Malnutrition
  • HIV/AIDS
  • STDs
  • Parasitic infestation
  • Worm infestation
  • Skin diseases like scabies, fungal skin conditions
  • Drug abuse
  • Prostitution
  • Criminal exploitation
• Types of street children according to UNICEF:

  • Children who reside in the street
  • Children who work in the street
  • Children from street families
• WHO classification of street children:

  • Children who live on the streets
  • Children who have left their families and reside in various places
  • Children who live in protection centers or orphanages
  • Children with weak relations with their families
• Care of street children involves:

  • Identifying the etiology and type
  • Social care
  • Mental care
  • Medical care including treatment of ailments, institutionalization, rehabilitation
  • Primary care like immunization and health education
  • Secondary care for treatment of ailments and screening
  • Tertiary care for rehabilitation and vocational rehab