Jan 27
One thing that has struck me as I’ve met with partners and colleagues to discuss the launch of the research is the urgency of putting street children back on the agenda. I met with Save the Children this morning, and in discussing this project, I realised how there continues to be a lack of understanding and knowledge about street culture and the extreme vulnerability of the children and young people exposed to that life. NGOs concerned with the welfare and rights of children tend to place street children under the framework of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) or Child Protection. This is fine, if the the issues they’re addressing are reflecting the needs of children living on the streets. Sadly, all to often this is not the case and I was reminded of the importance of this current research to be published. This is a piece of research that we hope will start addressing policy around the issue of street children in South Africa and beyond, and specifically around the issue of health and HIV/AIDS. Its also important in terms of how South Africa perceives and treats street children and to inform policies that reflect the street child experience. Stories, films and pictures are very powerful when it comes to communicating the issues on the streets, but there is also value in statistics and objective data. I’m convinced that is we don’t critically look at the situation of children living on the streets then we are doing them a disadvantage and the opportunity to put them back on the map.
Putting street children back on the agenda
It is my final night in Jo’burg. Tomorrow I fly down to Durban to join up with our partner Umthombo Street Children. The value of writing a blog as I travel is that I hope it will show supporters and those interested in our work why we visit our partners and spend time with children on the street. We regularly travel to South Africa or Burundi because we value the connections and relationship we have built with our partners, but also we recognise the importance of learning and understanding the issues that we then go and advocate, promote and raise money for.One thing that has struck me as I’ve met with partners and colleagues to discuss the launch of the research is the urgency of putting street children back on the agenda. I met with Save the Children this morning, and in discussing this project, I realised how there continues to be a lack of understanding and knowledge about street culture and the extreme vulnerability of the children and young people exposed to that life. NGOs concerned with the welfare and rights of children tend to place street children under the framework of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) or Child Protection. This is fine, if the the issues they’re addressing are reflecting the needs of children living on the streets. Sadly, all to often this is not the case and I was reminded of the importance of this current research to be published. This is a piece of research that we hope will start addressing policy around the issue of street children in South Africa and beyond, and specifically around the issue of health and HIV/AIDS. Its also important in terms of how South Africa perceives and treats street children and to inform policies that reflect the street child experience. Stories, films and pictures are very powerful when it comes to communicating the issues on the streets, but there is also value in statistics and objective data. I’m convinced that is we don’t critically look at the situation of children living on the streets then we are doing them a disadvantage and the opportunity to put them back on the map.
