International Day for Street Children falls on 12 April. As with most ‘International Days’, you’re probably wondering why street children are so special. Well, street children around the world are often ignored and stigmatised. They have no support – no family, school, or healthcare; they face violence and hunger daily.
International Day for Street Children was celebrated for the first time on 12 April 2011 by the Consortium for Street Children (CSC) in more than thirty countries with a view to creating a broader awareness about the issues of street children.
The International Day for Street Children gives a louder voice to millions of street
children all around the world, so their rights cannot be ignored. Street children need to be on the national government’s policy agendas, and their specific needs need to be recognised and addressed.
All but two countries (the USA and Somalia) have signed and ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and have a legal obligation to work towards ensuring that all children’s rights are integrated into national law. It is universally recognised that all children should have these rights realised; however, many government policies and practices still do not include street children. Find out more about the Day and the issues street children face from the International Day for Street Children website.
In 2012, the theme for the International Day for Street Children is “Challenging Perceptions”. The day is celebrated by street children, child rights activists, social workers, NGOs and their officials, policymakers, and individuals across the globe.
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