In commemoration of International Day for Street Children marked all over the world on April 12th, a non governmental organization, The Restoration Of The Dignity Of Womanhood (ROTDOW) has stressed the need for the society to give every child a chance to fulfill their destiny.
In a paper commemorating the day, the CEO, ROTDOW, Mrs. Olabisi Omolona said the day provides a platform to give voice to the advocacy that children living on the street also have rights that cannot be ignored and as such, nothing should stop them from attaining their dreams.
According to her, recent statistics shows that up to 150 million children throughout the world live on the street just as she expressed worry that lots of children on the street do not enjoy basic rights.
“Some children live on the street with their families. Other children spend a majority of their time on the street begging for food and money. Still, others live on the street as orphans with no family or no home to return to at night.
There are many reasons children end up on the street. One of the most common reasons is they live in a country where war and conflict are rampant. Children in this situation are either separated from their family or their family members have died. Some children leave home voluntarily because they are abused by family members. Other children live on the street because they are rejected by their family, have mental health issues, or are being forced into criminal activity. No matter what the case, street children are often denied an education, health care, and other basic human rights”, she added noting that in 1989, the UN held the Convention on the Rights of the Child to include the right to a stable, loving, and nurturing environment, healthcare and nutrition clean water and electric power equal opportunities and living in dignity and freedom.
