Street Children in Pakistan
DEFINITION OF STREET CHILDREN
WHO ARE STREET CHILDREN?
Children (under 18 years) who spend most of their time on the streets. There are between 10 to 100 million street children worldwide, depending on the exact definition used.
The target group is homeless and vulnerable street children including their families, who are at high risk of exploitation and physical and emotional abuse, especially through forced commercial sex and violence in the streets.
DEFINITION OF STREET CHILDREN:
"Street children" is a term often used to describe both market children (who work in the streets and markets of cities selling or begging, and live with their families) and homeless street children (who work, live and sleep in the streets, often lacking any contact with their families). At highest risk is the latter group. Murder, consistent abuse and inhumane treatment are the "norm" for these children, whose ages range from six to 18. They often resort to petty theft and prostitution for survival. They are extremely vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS. An estimated 90% of them are addicted to inhalants such as shoe glue and paint thinner, which cause kidney failure, brain damage and, in some cases, death.
Street Living Children: children who cut ties with their families and live alone on the streets
• 20% girls
• Mostly 12-18 years old
Street Working Children: children who spend all their time or most of their time working on the streets to provide income for their families or for themselves. These children have a home to return to and do not usually sleep on the streets.
• 50% girls
• Mostly 6 to 15 years old
Children of Street Living Families: children who live with their family on the streets.
• 50% girls
• All ages
THE CHILDREN, THE CHALLENGE:
Street children are those for whom the street (in the widest sense of the word, i.e. unoccupied dwellings, wasteland, etc.) more than their family has become their real
WHO ARE STREET CHILDREN?
Children (under 18 years) who spend most of their time on the streets. There are between 10 to 100 million street children worldwide, depending on the exact definition used.
The target group is homeless and vulnerable street children including their families, who are at high risk of exploitation and physical and emotional abuse, especially through forced commercial sex and violence in the streets.
DEFINITION OF STREET CHILDREN:
"Street children" is a term often used to describe both market children (who work in the streets and markets of cities selling or begging, and live with their families) and homeless street children (who work, live and sleep in the streets, often lacking any contact with their families). At highest risk is the latter group. Murder, consistent abuse and inhumane treatment are the "norm" for these children, whose ages range from six to 18. They often resort to petty theft and prostitution for survival. They are extremely vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS. An estimated 90% of them are addicted to inhalants such as shoe glue and paint thinner, which cause kidney failure, brain damage and, in some cases, death.
Street Living Children: children who cut ties with their families and live alone on the streets
• 20% girls
• Mostly 12-18 years old
Street Working Children: children who spend all their time or most of their time working on the streets to provide income for their families or for themselves. These children have a home to return to and do not usually sleep on the streets.
• 50% girls
• Mostly 6 to 15 years old
Children of Street Living Families: children who live with their family on the streets.
• 50% girls
• All ages
THE CHILDREN, THE CHALLENGE:
Street children are those for whom the street (in the widest sense of the word, i.e. unoccupied dwellings, wasteland, etc.) more than their family has become their real