International Day of Street Children(IDSC) is annually observed across the globe on 12th April to acknowledge the strength and resilience of millions of street children across the world.
The day also recognise the humanity, dignity and defiance of street children in the face of unimaginable hardships.
The IDSC 2022 theme is the 4th Step in Consortium for Street Children (CSC)’s 4 Steps to Equality campaign.
- The theme of 2022 IDSC calls for them to enjoy proper recognition and support.
Background:
i.The Consortium for Street Children (CSC), an international children’s charity fighting for the rights of street children worldwide, launched the first International Day for Street Children on 12th April 2011.
ii.International Day for Street Children (IDSC) has been celebrated globally since 2012
The 4 Steps to Equality campaign:
i.The 4 Steps to Equality, a 5-year global advocacy campaign of CSC, launched in 2018, aims to ensure that street children can access all their rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
ii.4-step to equality are,
- Commit to Equality
- Protect Every Child
- Provide Access to Services
- Create Specialised Solutions
iii.In 2022, we concentrate on Step 4: encouraging governments and communities to create specialised solutions for issues affecting street-connected children.
2022 IDSC -Celebrating Frontline Workers:
As a part of the 4 Steps to Equality campaign, 2022 IDSC celebrates the frontline workers who work with and advocate for street children to be included in local and national agendas.
Rights of Strret Children:
i.In 2017, the United Nations(UN) specifically acknowledged the rights of the street children in a document called “General Comment (No. 21) on Children in street situations.
ii.This tells the governments how they should treat street children in their countries as well as how to improve their current practices.
What is Street Children?
i.Street Children are described as children who depend on the street to live and/or work, either on their own or with other children or family member. Street children’ are children who depend on the streets for their survival
ii.They are also referred to as ‘street children’, ‘street-connected children’, ‘homeless children’ or ‘homeless youth’.
iii.“Streetism” is a relatively new term which means “living on the streets or being of the streets”.
