The New Nation - Internet Edition

ACCORDING to a report in this paper last Monday, the Social Welfare Ministry is considering to provide night shelters to about 600 street children in phases in Dhaka city. They would be also considered for livelihood supports. The street children are without parents in most cases or have loose parental protection which requires them to fend for themselves. They usually pick papers and in many cases hazardous substances used for recycling to earn a living. They dwell on the pavements and are subjected to worst misery, neglect and oppression.

Even partial care for these children is better than no care at all. But the programme to be effective needs to be broad based over a period of time. There are about a quarter million such children in the city and the target should be to gradually bring all of them under institutional state care. The government in recent years have been spending more and more resources on social safety nets. Therefore, it should not be so strapped for funds to ultimately set up and run a comprehensive programme for street children. The programme for them should ultimately include full-time shelter, educational opportunities and training to earn a livelihood on growing up.

There are many resourceful people in Bangladesh who would like to contribute generously to such a programme on a sustainable basis. Therefore, the relevant ministry needs not to suffer from any indecision in drawing up plans for an enlargement of the programme in phases. The street children at present not only showcase one of the worst aspects of poverty and lack of care in the country. They are also easily exploited by criminals and traffickers. But given proper care they would be free from bad influences.