Street children

The revelation is as startling as it is tragic and also a harsh reminder of the truth that a large number of children in society are subjected to inhuman treatment, despite the commitments made by successive governments to establish the rights of children. The under-privileged children represent, in a very conspicuous manner, social apathy and lack of government initiative to cater to their needs.

Clearly, there is more in it than flagrant violation of human rights. We must not forget that juvenile delinquency is a major social problem today. So it is worrisome news that such a huge number of children "run the risk of becoming criminals." If that be true, juvenile delinquency might assume unmanageable proportions in the very near future. Obviously, if there is any criminal proclivity among street children this would only be exacerbated if they continued to receive unkind treatment from society. It is extremely disturbing to learn that sometimes young girls among the children are subjected to sexual harassment by people who ought to take care of them. The authorities concerned should look into such allegations.

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Things must be set right in this important area in order to avoid a social disaster. The government needs to have a clear policy and a rehabilitation scheme insofar as the vagrant children are concerned. An institutional framework will be needed to handle the problem which has already grown big enough, with seven lakh children living in the streets.

The street children are a deprived lot whose mental and physical growth are hampered by a host of negative factors. Society must play its due role in taking them back under its wings. They actually never had childhood in the sense it is generally understood. We must strive to create the conditions in which they can at least grow up as normal human beings. They are not asking for too much -- only a wee bit of love and the minimum for survival in a hostile environment.