Street Action - Committed to street children through action and partnership

Speaking to an invited audience of MPs, Peers, practitioners and NGOs, representatives from UNICEF UK and DFID joined the panel to discuss the latest findings and policy recommendations from the research. The research was funded by DFID (Southern Africa).

Street Action launched the research at Downing Street in October. Later this year we shall be publishing the full report. The research aims to provide objective data regarding the health and well-being of children living on the streets of Durban; to describe their experiences of that life; and to describe the range of services directed at them. The project intends to provide insights and perspectives that, even if not exhaustive, could update and better guide responses and services to these children.

The study shows that the children that were interviewed and participated in the workshops for the research often worry about HIV/AIDS. They know some of the facts, but education specific to their situation about transmission, prevention and testing is needed. Also, due to their extreme vulnerability, there is a need to make health services accessible to children living on the street. Expecting them to use conventional services is not realistic and there is a need to develop services that are especially designed for them.

Street Action will be publishing the findings and recommendations on the web site. It is hoped that the methodology and model adopted to undertake such a complex and unique study can be replicated elsewhere in the world. Joe Walker stated at the APPG meeting, “We don’t want this research to be an isolated study, but working alongside the Consortium for Street Children and others organisations working in this field, as well as continuing to engage with DFID, UNICEF and larger agencies concerned with children and development, we believe this can be catalysit to putting street children back on the agenda”. Street Action is committed to increasing the visibility of the challenges street children face through facilitating and supporting the development of research and advocacy. Street Children have a right to be included in research. By not critically looking at the state of children living on the streets, or conceding that the complexities of doing so are just too great, further disadvantages them.