Malawi must comply with the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of Child (ACRWC) requirements and strictly manage the street kids’ size if Malawi’s economy is to reclaim its glory, says Director of International Development for Retreak Maggie Crewes.
She was speaking during presentation on enumeration of street connected children-draft report on Wednesday in Lilongwe. Among others Crewes said that the survey aimed at proving an estimate of the number of children aged 7 and 15; in line with the Malawian children’s Act. This is so in order to inform the government strategy on street children and direct work with children to improve childhood living standards.
The survey reveals that the number of children who were found in the streets are 2389 and 1776 in Lilongwe and Blantyre respectively.
“This shows that Lilongwe has registered high percentage of street children compared to Blantyre whom 1% of children aredisabled. Inboth region children mostly work by scavenging and selling goods, begging for survival”, said Crewes.
The Ministry of Gender, Children, Disability and social welfare, Director of child Affairs Mc Knight Kalanda said that government strategy on street children is in process. “For the Malawi economy to be competitive and successful worldwide, there are a number of important things that need to be done such as compliance to internationally acceptable standards for rights and welfare of children citing that emotional violence is one of the root cause of scavenging and selling goods by child ”, he said.
He also stressed the need to fight violence against children in the country. Survey findings showed that sexual abuse is commonly perpetrated by dating or romantic partners for girls hence hindering their livelihoods. Providing children with social skills that promote positive, respectful and cooperative peer relationships can prevent violence to children. Chisomo Children’s Club, Tikondane Youth Care ministries, Theatre for a change are working tirelessly to reducing poverty from street children whom most of them are Orphan. Kalanda emphasized the need for stakeholders to collectively work together with the government to protect children.
The findings from the survey indicate thatscavenging and selling goods by child is a violation of human rights since 30% of children in Lilongwe never go to school whilst 35% in Blantyre also do not access education hence increasing in illiteracy level. Therefore, there is indeed need for Malawi to take responsibility to deal with street children problem.
