International Day for Street Children

International Day for Street Children is an international holiday designed to raise public awareness of street children. It also aims to unite the efforts of all people to eradicate the problem of homelessness and give these children a better life and hope for a brighter future. It is celebrated annually on April 12.

History

The problem addressed by International Day for Street Children has existed for centuries and is present in today’s context. Since 1989, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child has been in force, which includes such provisions as the rights to adequate food, clean water, electricity, freedom and equality. Unfortunately, street children are deprived of all this, and we must help them!

Some children live on the streets with their parents. However, these are rarer cases, which are related to a lack of housing, perhaps it was lost due to military action or natural disasters (earthquakes, floods, etc.). Usually street children are children from low-income families or children of parents with serious problems with alcohol and drugs. They spend most of their time on the street, begging for money to feed themselves. Sometimes, closer to bedtime, they return home to sleep, for example.

Authorized agencies deal with such cases, but taking away parental rights and placing such children in orphanages does not solve the problem. It is necessary to rebuild the entire society in order to prevent the emergence of homelessness.

Interesting facts

• In today’s world, there are about 150 million children living on the streets around the world.
• The highest levels of homelessness and vagrancy are recorded in “second world” countries: poor African countries, Middle Eastern states and others.

How to celebrate

Learn more about the problem of homelessness in your country. Provide financial or material assistance to orphanages on this day.

Spread the word about the holiday on social media. Ask users, how often do they see street children? What country do they live in? Suggest your own measures to eradicate the problem.

When is International Day for Street Children celebrated in 2024?

International Day for Street Children is observed on April 12 each year.

Observations