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A Study on Plight of Street Children in India: an Ignored Tragedy

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A Study on Plight of Street Children in India: an Ignored Tragedy RESEARCH PAPER LAW Volume : 4 | Issue : 11 | November 2014 | ISSN - 2249-555X A STUDY ON PLIGHT OF STREET CHILDREN IN INDIA: AN IGNORED TRAGEDY KEYWORDS Child Abuse, Health, NGO’s, Family, Rehabilitation Dr. K. V. Ravi Kumar LLM., Ph.D.,Assistant Professor,P.G. Department of Legal Research,Acharya Nagarjuna University, Nagarjuna Nagar ABSTRACT The aim of this study to investigate the problems that are facing by children who are lived in the streets in India. The street children of today can be the guerillas and terrorists of tomorrow. Millions of street children suffering from hunger, homelessness and poverty around the world. In the developing country like India, most of the street children live and work amidst trash, animals and open sewers etc., The harsh living conditions and the illiteracy seems to increase the irresponsibility of parents to take care for their children with regard to health and development, so that the parents driven out their children to the streets. The street children are becoming most vulnerable to many dangers such as chronic diseases and abuses in the society. There is a research gap existed to route-out the welfare conditions of the street children, and therefore, my paper is highlight on the problems that are facing by the street children in India. Introduction: an effective role in eradicating the problems of streets chil- The twenty-first century presents a hostile face to many dren. The General Assembly of United Nations in its resolu- millions of children around the world especially who lived tion under vide No. 49/212, specifically mentions about the on the streets. An increasing number of children are be- plight of the street children. There is a welcoming on special ing forced to the streets as result of poverty, abuse, tor- attention given to rights of children in Vienna Declaration and ture, rape, abandonment or orphaned by dreadful diseas- Programme of Action and also re-called the Convention on es. During the past two decades, human rights violations Rights of child in relation to protection of the rights of all chil- against children have become a common and disturb- dren especially the street children. There are diverse causes ing occurrence in many parts of the world. Indeed de- of the emergence and marginalization of street children in- nial of basic human and legal rights including the right cluding poverty, rural to urban migration, unemployment, to life, liberty and security as a person to children are broken families, exploitation and war and that such causes now a defining feature of the Indian landscape. Accord- are often aggravated and their resolution made more difficult ing to UNICEF, 77 million children do not attend schools by serious socio-economic difficulties. The Assembly urges around the globe in general and 3,14,700 children are all the Governments to continue actively to seek comprehen- lived in the streets specifically in metros such as Bombay, sive solutions to tackle the problems of street children and to Calcutta, Madras, Kanpur, Bangalore and Hyderabad, and take measures to restore their full participation in the society whereas more than 1,00,000 children even in territory of and to provide inter alia adequate nutrition, shelter, health Delhi alone. care and education, and also to guarantee the respect for fundamental rights particularly the right to life and to take ur- Street children are considered to be hooligans, vaga- gent measures to prevent the killing of children who lived in bonds, and people prone to committing crimes. It is the streets and to combat torture and violence against them. pertinent to mention that more children are escaping to the streets as a safe heaven, because they are facing nu- According to UNICEF, there are 3 types of street children : merous problems such as sexual abuse by relatives and neighbourers, and breakdown of marriages, etc., Chil- a) Street Living Children : Children who ran away from dren as young as of six, have to resort to car wash- their families and live alone on the streets. They move from ing, begging, carrying luggage, fetching tea or working place to place, living in shelters and abandoned buildings. in small industries to support themselves and sometimes to their families and whereas girls as young as eight are b) Street Working Children : Children who spend most of forced into prostitution in order to survive. More than their time on the street, fending for themselves, but return- 20% of India’s Gross National Product is produced by ing home on a regular basis. It is because of poverty, over- children. The street children of today can be the gue- crowding, sexual or physical abuse at home. rillas and terrorists of tomorrow. This is the major and hectic problem which can no longer be ignored by the c) Children from Street families : Children who live on the members of society. A question that we must increas- street with their families. These children live on sidewalks ingly ask ourselves is how long must it take before the or city-squares with rest of their families. They may be dis- problem of street children attracts the proper attention placed due to poverty, wars or natural disasters. The families that it deserves? How many more children must first often live a nomadic life, carrying possessions with them. take to the streets or die because of lack of care on our streets before we can acknowledge that the problem of 3. Health : street children is a very serious one which is likely to af- The problem of street children being an age-old and burn- fect all of us. ing problem facing around the world. Generally, the street children have poor health condition, and do not benefit 2. Role of United Nations : from the rights to health and nutrition. There must be a At international level, the role of United Nations has played difficult access to public health services, which prone to 272 X INDIAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH RESEARCH PAPER Volume : 4 | Issue : 11 | November 2014 | ISSN - 2249-555X cause a danger to their lives. Frequently, because of un- children are eventually escape from the homes. In some of aware of their health condition, they are exposed to higher the States, the street children are placed under the care of risks of diseases like Tuberculosis, Malaria, Jaundice, kid- Observation Homes, Remand Homes and other Government ney disorders, and sexually transmitted infectious dreadful Juvenile Centers, or Child Care Centers etc., It is pertinent disease like HIV/AIDS. Scabies, gangrene, broken limbs to note that The Apprenticeship Act, 1850 which enabled and epilepsy are common. Most of the street children are public charities to bring up orphans and poor children, etc. exposed to dirt, smoke and other environmental hazards, and whereas The Reformatory Schools Act, 1867 dealt with and constantly exposed to intense sun, rain and cold. neglected and delinquent children. Though they are supposed to be free in the society, per- sonnel of government officials did not take care of them The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, in admitting into the hospitals. Sometimes, street children 2000, (Act, 50/2000) dealt with the care, protection, treat- do not have easy access to join into the hospital because ment, development and strengthening process of neglected of paying bribes, or the indifferent or hostile treatment or delinquent juveniles, and for the adjudication of certain meted out to them by the staff of the hospital. matters relating to, and disposition of, delinquent juveniles. This law specifically refer to the need of care and protec- 4. Breakdown of Families : tion by providing proper care protection and treatment by Currently, the family institution is going through a lot of catering to their development needs. In metropolitan cit- upheavals in India. Many families have broken up with ies like Mumbai, more than 3,000 cases brought before the children because of their selfish ends, as a result of this, Juvenile Court. There are inadequate Juvenile Boards in children are coming out of their family and living on dealt with the cases of street children. The Act, adopts a streets. It is relevant to note that many more children run child-friendly approach in the adjudication and disposition away to the streets to avoid violence and abuse in their of matters in the interests of children and also for their re- families. It is now common occurrence to hear of terrify- habilitation through various institutions. ing stories of abuse of children by neighbors, family mem- bers and even by parents. Children are increasingly be- CONCLUSION: ing sexually abused, starved and ignored by the family Those children who lived on the streets are eking out a grim and community at large. At present, it is surprising to see existence in India. Living on the streets is difficult and haz- that the parents or guardians using the force or threats to ardous and anyone who are able to survive must be listened send their children out to beg, steal and work to earn in- and helped. Families, the government and the community at come for the family. Adults are also increasingly using their large must seek the measures to eradicate the evil of living of children as sources of income and thereby violating and children in the streets. Most of the street children are illiterate denying children of their basic rights as human beings. with no basic skills to help them. Education may help break Therefore, it is bounden duty on the part of the Govern- the vicious circle of marginalization and help potential street ment to look after the welfare and basic amenities to pro- children towards a better life.
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