Celebrate International Day for Street Children To Protect The Future Of Children

Across the country, many children face daily struggles due to the harsh life on the streets. Millions of children in India are experiencing abuse, exploitation, hunger, and exclusion. The basic rights of children are also not extended to them – this includes the right to safety and protection, right to clean water, right to regular and healthy meals, right education, right to safe shelter, and the right to access to healthcare facilities.

The rights of children cannot be ignored and to ensure the same, April 12th is marked as International Day for Street Children. This day is commemorated to ensure that the condition of street children is brought to the forefront and their plight is given a platform to address. It is high time underprivileged children have a collective support system to help them step out of the vicious cycle. The patterns of abuse, exploitation, illiteracy, and poverty lead to many other long-term repercussions.  

Fundamental and constructive change is the need of the hour as several children can still be seen begging at traffic signals, engaging in labour work and other menial jobs to make ends meet somehow, or becoming a ragpicker. Be it as domestic help or joining street gangs, children do anything to survive as there is no mentoring or support system in place to guide them through their impressionable years.

The International Day of Street Children is important as it helps raise much-needed awareness on the plight of the street and working children who have been discriminated against for far too long. This is where Salaam Baalak Trust, India’s reputed non-profit organisation, has been diligently working on for more than 30 years. SBT provides all of the integral resources for street and working children and also rescues abandoned children. SBT offers full care and protection to the children and ensures that they have access to health and nutrition, mental health, and quality education. The children are placed in various Children’s Homes and also enrolled in vocational training programs to help them build their personalities and expand their minds. You can donate for street children and celebrate the true spirit of International Day for Street Children. Support now!