What future for street children in Nigeria?

SIR: Every child has the right to education. Every child merits a secure place to call home. Every kid deserves the opportunity to flourish in a supportive environment. But for millions of children throughout the world who end up living on the streets and open to abuse, exploitation, and neglect, this is still only a pipe dream.

According to latest data from the United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation ( UNESCO), 20.2 million children are out- of- school in Nigeria. United Nations Children’s Fund ( UNICEF) further explains that one out of three children in Nigeria is out of school. The report suggests that Nigeria is home to one in five out- of- school in the world. What is the plight of these children? Where is their succour outside the home? The street.

On April 12, we marked the International Day of Street Children, which is a painful reminder of the pressing need to address the suffering of these disadvantaged children and advocate their rights. The menace of street children is not just the failure of government, it is the failure of parenting, and the failure of the society. Particularly for kids who are left to fend for themselves without the support of loving and responsible adults, the street is harsh and cruel.

A large number of street kids are from dysfunctional homes where their feeling of security has been destroyed by abuse, neglect, or poverty. Some might have been abandoned or left orphans, forced to face the perils of the streets on their own. Whatever the situation, these kids have a very difficult time just trying to survive in a dangerous world.