Joe Walker's Postings

Ensuring those at the top are also protecting street children

Sun, 23 May 2010 21:46:00 -0700

I'm in New York to meet with UNICEF's Child Protection team to discuss, among other things, the need for street children to be recognised on the boarder development agenda. I'm also here to present the research Street Action and its partners undertook in Durban, South Africa and explore potential collaboration with UNICEF in the future. I've often critiqued the larger agencies response to street children, or lack of it, but at the same time the pragmatist in me knows very well that without engagement with organisations such as UNICEF on the international level, Street Action, and its partners stand little little chance of pushing the issues from the streets onto the agenda. UNICEF's Child Protection Strategy sets out its contribution to national and international efforts to fulfil children's rights to protection and to achieve the Millennium Developments Goals by 2015. Street children remain a marginalised and forgotten group, despite their high levels of vulnerability, so this meeting tomorrow (today depending on where you are in the world at my time of writing) is an extremely important opportunity to ensure that the issue does not remain just a footnote to the broader issue of child protection.

On a personal level, I've come a long way from my first ever engagement with street children on the streets of East London in South Africa. As I gaze at the iconic skyline of New York's Manhattan and for all the power and wealth that it represents, I can't stop thinking of my first encounters with those children in East London, South Africa. Their lives and daily struggle changed, inspired and challenged me and impacted the course of the rest of my life. Its a privilege to be here in New York and in a small way I feel that I am representing those first children I first met (indeed all the street children I have met and still know). Many of them never lived to experience adulthood and fto ulfil their potential. Despite the violence, abuse and poverty on the streets what they taught me, and showed me every day, was their humanity despite the constant struggle unimaginable to most of us.

What UNICEF and those responsible for bringing about social and economic change in this world need to recognise is that children need to play a key role in bringing about transformation. As I have begun drafting the final research report to be published this summer, I came across a fantastic quote from Enew and Kruger (2003) which sums up perfectly the need for a more child centred participatory approach. This can bring about a much better understanding of a child's life on the streets. "Theories of space and time, of social agency and the deconstructionist approach of discourse analysis, have all led to acknowledgment that children are capable social agents who construct meaning and subvert power, as well as understanding that they are not ageless and genderless." Maybe that's all I should say tomorrow...

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Is Cameron's 'big society' just coded language for sweeping privatisation?

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 14:19:00 -0700

According to David Cameron writing in today’s Observer the Conservative programme for government is founded on a radical revolt against statist approach of the Big Government that always knows best.” So is this what the fundamental dividing line between Labour and Tory is going to be in this election? Much has been made about the frame of debate being between “big state” Labour and “big society” Tory. Labour’s manifesto pledges to deliver "active reforming government, not absent government" while Cameron’s “big society” is backing "social responsibility, not state control".

Gordon Brown spoke of this campaign being the ‘big choice election’. Last week Cameron invited us all to “join the government of Britain”. His “big society” idea was about giving power back to us so that we could take control. But is the Tories idea of ‘people power’ just a brilliant piece of spin? Is it to make us believe that small government and minimising the power of the state will cure the social ills in our society and give us control over our lives and our communities? As we begin the third week of campaigning a clear divide between the two main parties is beginning to emerge.

To be fair, in theory, giving power back to the people is a great sentiment, but as Sadie Smith argued in her Left Foot Forward blog entry last week, "Cameron's Big Society is in democratic deficit". The Conservative plans for 'little platoons of civil society' to be enouraged to start new schools, run health services and to save the local pub is not only underestimating the level at which it can increase social division, but as Smith goes on to claim the "big society" is, "merely a back-door way of allowing the wealthy and educated to clean up at the expense of those of lower social class and educational attainment."

Essentially Cameron’s Big Society is a policy of outsourcing a much higher proportion of public services than at present. But a key question we have to ask is outsourcing to whom? Cameron’s answer to what he calls the “stifling clutches of the state” is to replace it with the transformative power of social responsibility. By making government more accountable and transparent this will open, “public services to new providers unleashing the forces of innovation.” Academics and public sector experts have warned that handing control of public services to private groups of individuals could result in higher levels of corruption and inefficiency, with the reality being corporate control of schools and the breakup of the welfare state. Tony Travers of the London School of Economics (LSE) was quoted in the Guardian as stating that the take of over of public services would only happen in areas where there were large populations of entrepreneurial professionals. This is echoing Smith’s argument of the rich and wealthy taking over at the expense of the poor being left behind. Travers asks whether it would merely, “strengthen areas that already have high levels of social capital and entrepreneurship?” The result of this reinforcing difference and those at the bottom of the ladder being left on their own.

This is not to say that everything about state intervention and big government is good. Of course its not, but progressive government is about a social transaction between state and people ensuring government intervention with individual freedom. Cameron’s speech at the launch of his manifesto attempted to invoke the sprit of JFK and Obama, but James Macintyre in the New Statesman wrote how “we were struck by the similarity of its language to that of George W Bush and the "compassionate conservatism" he advocated in his 2000 presidential campaign, with its promises of "local control" for schools and competition by private groups for the provision of public services.” In other words, the sweeping privisation of the pubic services. Should we be wary of the same happening here?

If you read Labour’s manifesto what they are seeking to do is bridge the gap between state and society. Giving the public a bigger say is not a new idea, but Cameron’s “Big Society” does create a more clear dividing line between the two main parties as to how to bridge this gap will be approached. Labour advocate an active state to empower civil society; the Tories want to ‘roll back the state’ with a bigger society. There is a now a real choice and whoever wins on May 6^th, the way this country is governed will change.

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Election 2010: Who are the 'great ignored'?

Tue, 06 Apr 2010 10:22:20 -0700

The" great ignored" has to be the phrase of the day in the opening political soundbites of the election campaign. This was Conservative leader David Cameron positioning himself and the Tories as the vehicle for change in the country. The idea behind the phrase is simply playing on Richard Nixon's "silent majority". But who are the "great ignored"?

Of course at face value it may look like he is talking about Britain's most marginalised, excluded and vulnerable groups. According to the Tory leader they are: "young, old, rich, poor, black, white, gay, straight" (although it was quickly pointed out by Pink News that Cameron omitted gay people from the actually words of his speech - probably after the weekends spat over B&Bs owners banning gay couples). Johnathan Bartley @jon_bartley blogged this morning that we should, "listen more clearly to what he actually say's however, and it seems to be more of an appeal to ‘law-abiding’ middle England." He goes on to question whether the "great ignored" include those unable to vote, or those voters that simply don't count: prisoners, asylum seekers, those under 18, and the millions who will vote for independents or minority parties who will have no immediate voice in this election. This is important, but a further question to ponder is who then are the unignored? Robert Shrimsley of the FT points out that, "who have the parties been listening to exactly...people may feel ignored but do they actually want that suspicion confirmed?"

But there is a "greater ignored" beyond our shores who are marginalised and vulnerable because of the polices taken by successive UK governments. Governments of rich nations in the West have an extraordinary influence on the international stage. Their decisions affect the lives of billions across the planet. These are the "greater ignored" Yet, when a national election is called, this fact is often conveniently forgotten. Global poverty and inequality, the negative affects of globalisation can become sidelined, but the 2010 election is a real opportunity to move the development debate forward. There is now cross-party consensus that global poverty is an important electoral issue and with the Millennium Development Goals set to be reached by 2015, the main political parties have committed to ensuring the targets are met. Many groups, including children living on the streets, continue be excluded from the development agenda and the process towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2015. Street Action's homepage led on a news article asking what does the election mean for putting Street Children back on the agenda? http://bit.ly/afrj68 Street Children is a global issue but remains a footnote for many NGOs, policy makers and government priorities.

Its hard to not be cynical and just dismiss the "great ignored" as a mere political rhetoric, but at the same we can't turn a blind eye to what could be a key theme throughout the election. As I wrote on the Street Action web site, "Strengthening the voice of the socially excluded such as Street Children is central to enable that the principles of a rights-based agenda are built into policy dialogue with government, and to ensure that some of the most marginalised and vulnerable children on the planet are recognised and prioritised in future development policy". Britain continues to have influence on a global scale and so this election will be about the "great ignored" beyond our borders and about our moral and ethical responsibility to those that are affected by the decisions taken by those we vote for on May 6th.

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In the shadow of the Street Child World Cup, the police round ups continue

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 04:42:00 -0700

The Deloitte Street Child World Cup has been taking place in Durban, South Africa all week. It has brought street children from eight different countries together where they have taken centre stage, celebrating their potential and providing a platform for them to talk about the issues that matter most to them. Football is a leveller. Ex-England and Tottenham footballer Gary Mabbut who is currently down in Durban for the Street Child World Cup spoke on BBC Five Live this week about how football is a great unifier. With eight teams from around the world and about ten different languages spoken, once you put a ball on the ground every child knows what to do and the barrier of language, culture and background are removed.

The Street Child World Cup is more than just about football. It is a chance to spotlight the issues before the FIFA World Cup in South Africa this summer. While I was in Durban last month, I blogged on a daily basis about police round-ups and the draconian use of 'forced removals' as way of 'cleaning the streets'. As I write looking out across at the Thames in London, I have just received a call from my colleague Nick who is currently in Durban for the Street Child World Cup. Nick told me there were reports coming in that for the third day in a row Durban's Metro police are rounding up street children. The Street Child World Cup is giving those working directly with the children living on the streets an opportunity and a platform to demonstrate the alternatives to forced removals. This is about engaging with the children through an array of therapeutic programs developed to bring these children through the process of rehabilitation, and then re-intergration back into community environments. Tom Hewitt, CEO and co-founder of Umthombo Street Children who are hosting the Street Child World Cup, argues that, "Street children are not a safety and security issue, but a social development issue. Police put children in the back of trucks with adults and gang members. It exposes the kids to more trauma". He said removing children for the World Cup was not about child protection but about cleaning up the streets.

The Street Child World Cup is an enormously positive and significant event and is playing its part in putting street children back on the agenda. Sadly in its shadow the reality of street life continues as cities like Durban prepare for the FIFA World Cup and street children become the victims. We posted this short film on the Street Action web site to demonstrate the reality of round-ups. Click here to view the film or go to our web site: www.streetaction.org

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Mandela changed South Africa forever, but not everyone is free

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 11:42:55 -0800

Sunday 11 February 1990 was a day I will never forget. Not only was it the day that changed South Africa forever, but the image of the great liberation leader walking free after 27 years in prison had a profound impact on me. I was 12 at the time. Growing up in the 1980s, the pictures, films and stories of apartheid South Africa had already begun to awaken my consciousness of a system that was unjust, but watching the TV on that Sunday afternoon twenty years ago stirred something in me that began to shape the course of my life. Since then, I have had the privilege to travel and live for a period of time in South Africa over the last 14 years. If you've read previous blog entries, you will know through my work and personal friendships and relationships, South Africa is a country I feel deeply connected to which continues to inspire, challenge and change me every time I visit.

Twenty years after Nelson Mandela was freed from prison, South Africa, against all the odds, is a vibrant democracy. Mandela was to be a remarkable leader and statesman and his history as a freedom fighter and political prisoner proved merely a warm-up act as he became a symbol or moral authority, reconciliation and an apostle of peace. However, Desmond Tutu's coinage for post-aparthied South Africa as a 'rainbow nation' has yet to be realised by many. Almost sixteen years after the end of white rule, the two worlds, black and white, are for most people very separate. Two decades on from Mandela's release, many South Africans still live in grinding poverty, official unemployment is just less than 25% but analysts say actual joblessness is much higher. The taste of freedom has not been as sweet for everyone and millions still hoping for decent housing, education and health are now looking for leadership that can tackle South Africa's economic problems. I remember reading an article by John Pilger in South Africa's Mail and Guardian who described the social and economic catastrophe as a liberation betrayal. He wrote of the 'beatification of Nelson Mandela at the death of apartheid', but argued that one should one not diminish the power of personalities, but their importance can often become a distraction from the historical forces they serve and manage a country in its quest for democracy and stability. I think Pilger is right, and as history has shown transition from apartheid to a black governed liberal democracy was only possible if the free market was embraced as a substitute to social justice for the poor.

None of this is to diminish what Mandela has achieved. Without the great man the story of South Africa's transition from white rule might have been a far bleaker ending. In 1953 in an address to the ANC Congress Mandela stated, "You can see there is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountain tops of our desires." Twenty years on South Africa is a remarkable story. True liberation may still be a long way off, but there is hope for the millions who are yet to taste the real fruits of freedom.

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Is this really the solution?

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 01:28:18 -0800

As I prepare to return to London this afternoon, the round-up of street children in Durban continue . I think this picture says its all.

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Empowering street children for 2010 and beyond

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 10:21:46 -0800

One of the misconceptions people hold about working with street children is that by building relationships with them and investing in their lives while on the streets you begin to normalise street life and culture for them. This is simply not the case, and this is being demonstrated by the pioneering work of Umthombo Street Children. Children come to the streets from chaotic and destructive back grounds. To choose to live on the streets rather than at home with family and community is not only an inditement on the social system, but shows that children and young people often have little choice but to escape from the harsh realities of poverty, abuse and violence. Umthombo is leading a revolution in providing alternative solutions to street life for children in Durban. Umthombo empowers children to be able to leave street life and return to community life, but through a strategy of building up trust and relationships on the streets with an array of therapeutic programs developed to bring these children through the process of rehabilitation. On my visit to Umthombo this week I've focussed a lot on the impact of 2010 and the World Cup on street children and the work of Umthombo. The 2010 World Cup is a key moment to ensure that a good citywide strategy for street children is being followed in Durban. As I've written in previous entries this week, Umthombo advocates against the use of 'enforcement' strategies such as round-ups by police. Umthombo argues that street children are a social development issue due to the hight level of trauma that children experience while living on the streets. Therefore, Umthombo's Safe Space, a therapeutic drop-in centre for street children, offers specialist mentoring and psycho-social support through a range of programmes to prepare them to return to community life. As part of our partnership with Umthombo, Street Action is investing in Safe Space and committed to continuing supporting the growth and development of the programmes they run to ensure that street children are empowered to seek a way out of street life and are geared towards reintegrating children with their families and/or communities.

I return back to London tomorrow. This has been a short trip but an important one. 2010 is an important moment, but Street Action's partnerships are about long-term relationships. Its a privilege to be here and to be connected to a group of dedicated street children activists here in Durban. Ultimately, its the children who call the streets their home that are the true inspiration and educators, and the reason why I and others continue to stand in solidarity with some of South Africa's most marginalised children.

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In the shadow of the World Cup

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 10:20:07 -0800

There is a different story behind the glamour and excitement of this summers FIFA World Cup in South Africa. 2010 will be a defining moment, not just for South Africa but the whole continent. The “forgotten continent”, so often seen through the prism of poverty, war and famine, will get to show the world a different face. But in the shadows of this sporting extravaganza are the street children. For South Africa’s street children the World Cup might not be such a positive experience and the authorities anxious for their faces not to be seen.

Urban planners have often commercialised public space excessively, leading to the exclusion of the poor, the disadvantaged and unaccompanied children, including street children. This is also the case for South Africa’s street children who call the streets their home. South African cities hosting the World Cup games have been desperate to ‘clean-up’ the streets and make them safe and attractive for the event, with the victims being the street children. I've been writing about the issue of round-ups here in Durban. Round-ups are not new to the city and have often been used when they are hosting a major international events, but now with the World Cup in mind, it appears the police are stepping up their efforts to ‘sweep’ the streets clean.

Umthombo Street Children who work closely with the children still living on the streets fear that further round-ups that take them to live in so called ‘safe houses’ for homeless people, will only lead to sexual abuse and coercion into criminal activity. The Mail and Guardian (January 22, 2010) http://bit.ly/86S9Wp article concluded that a major sticking point for cities like Durban is that street children remain a provincial responsibility rather than a national one. This has lead to provincial departments regarding street children as a ‘safety and security issue, rather than social one’. If this attitude prevails then societies perception of street children will remain a negative one and they will forever be marginalized and forgotten.

The FIFA World Cup is a positive event and can be a force for good for South Africa. It should be celebrated, but only if it benefits the many and not just the few. Its often said that football brings humanity together. Steve Biko often talked about one day betowing upon South Africa the greatest gift possible – a more human face. If the country is to truly realise this dream and humanity really does come together to celebrate the World Cup, the street children who call the streets their home also need to be seen with a more human face.

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The mixed blessing of a rain storm

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 11:02:31 -0800

As I write there is a huge rain storm outside. There is sheet lightening that stretches across the bay and lights up the whole sky. I'm sheltering in the lobby of a hotel which is one of the only places in Durban with decent wireless that actually works, so I thought I should post a quick update. This storm tonight is a mixed blessing. Usually when the rains come, I worry about the street children and where they might be sheltering. At this time of heightened security in the city and the constant threat of police round-ups, the rains will probably mean that the children will be safe tonight and the Metro police won't be out on patrol.

Those of you following my tweets http://twitter.com/JoeStreetAction would have followed what was going on with the police round-ups yesterday. I wrote about an article on Durban's round-ups in the Mail and Guardian last week. The article described how some of the street children accused the police of using violence during the round-ups, which usually saw them corralled into vans and dumped far out of the city centre, often resulting in them walking back to Durban which could take several days. With one eye on the World Cup these round-ups are increasing and happening every weekend. Around 20 children were picked up yesterday and we spent time with a group last night who were frightened that the police were going to round them up at any moment. I was with Thando from Umthombo who commented on how this was no way for the children to live. Not only do they live with the daily poverty, abuse and violence of street life, but they now have to live in constant fear that they might get rounded up by police. The rain has stopped so I'm going to make a run for it. More on Safe Space tomorrow, the research and HIV testing and how Umthombo is gearing up for the World Cup.

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Finding a Safe Space

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 07:31:38 -0800

I'm back in Durban in the tropical rain. I've been coming to this city for well over a decade and its a place I regard as a second home. Street Action's partnerships are baed on relationships and trust. They reflect the connections and mutual understanding built up over many years. As part of this blog, we want to use it to give readers, supporters and those interested in our work the opportunity to engage with our partners visually through pictures, films as well as written word. I was last with Umthombo Street Children in February 2009. Safe Space had just opened its doors and was beginning to be used by the children living on the streets. A year on there has been huge developments and Safe Space is now a fully operating rehabilitation and therapeutic centre for street children in the Point area of the city. Umthombo runs programmes including surfing, football and the arts. The programmes they are developing are an alternative and compassionate strategies that empower children to leave the streets for a better life. Today I spent some time meeting with the Umthombo team, including the new social workers and learned about how Safe Space is working with the many children who use the centre on a daily basis. I took a couple of films as I arrived and met with Sipho, a former street child who heads up Umthombo's advocacy work. On Monday we will go into Safe Space and show you some of the work that is being done.

http://bit.ly/9OF3nB

http://bit.ly/ckmlts

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Putting street children back on the agenda

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 13:33:24 -0800

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.

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Back in South Africa

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:38:32 -0800

Its late and I should be trying to get some sleep before a long day of meeting people tomorrow, but I'm strangely awake. I'm back in South Africa and currently in Jo'burg for a couple of days to meet with friends and colleagues to discuss the next stage of the research. Whenever I arrive back in this country there is a strong sense of familiarity about everything, but despite my deep connections here for many years, I'm conscious of the unfamiliarity that lies in the culture, ideas and the whole order of doing things. South Africa is a place that has inspired, educated and challenged me every time I've returned and I sense this trip will be no different. I should try and rest but will write again tomorrow and hopefully post the first video diary! Good night.

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'Street cleaning' with one eye on the World Cup

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 08:49:28 -0800

As I write, I'm preparing for another journey to South Africa to visit Street Action's partner Umthombo Street Children. I hope this blog will inform, encourage debate, educate and give readers more insight into the development of our partnerships that are based on relationships and trust. My journey will begin in Johannesburg. There I shall be meeting with some of the people who worked on the ground-breaking research which we'll be launching this year. I shall then travel down to Durban to re-connect with friends and colleagues in the Umthombo team in Durban to experience and learn about the many changes, challenges and developments that have occurred over the past year.

Only this morning was I reminded of the urgency of Umthombo's work as an article published in South Africa's Mail and Guardian describes the ongoing practice of 'street cleaning' exercised by eThekwini metro police who argue that street children are a safety and security issue rather than a social one. Clink on the link to read the article: http://bit.ly/86S9Wp

I hope you'll follow the daily updates of stories and video diary as we stand in solidarity with our partner Umthombo in this World Cup year that could either be an opportunity or crisis for Durban's street children.

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