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\ Situation of Street and Working
Children in Delhi
NGOs estimate there are around 4,00,000 working children in Delhi
(estimates based on a 1988 study) out of which at least 45,000 children
are estimated to be living on the street (with peers or independently)
with no parental or adult support or supervision and financially self
supporting for food and clothes.
UNHCHR has estimated that India has the largest population of street
children in the world, some 18 million children on urban streets, mostly
concentrated in the large metropolitan cities.
These are children who left home to seek work in cities, children who are
abandoned by their families and children who left extreme poverty
situations and dysfunctional families. Majority of these street children
are street workers who live with their families in Delhi slums and
resettlement colonies as well as on pavements. Though there is no concrete
data to establish the exact number of street children in Delhi, it is
estimated that nearly 25% of all street children are run away, migrant or
missing children whose families and parents are not in Delhi.
 As said in the earlier paragraphs there are varied reasons for
unaccompanied children being on the streets which involve several push and
pull factors. Push factors such as: Extreme poverty, family conflicts and
crisis, including violence, terminal illnesses and HIV/AIDS, abuse and
neglect, including abandonment, bad experience in school etc. force
children to come on the streets. Pull factors such as: Search of freedom,
work and livelihood opportunities encourage children to leave homes.
Areas Understood to be having High Concentration
of Street Children in Delhi
Though
street and working children are spread across the whole city, they are
more concentrated in some areas. Sustained studies by NGOs has revealed
that the concentration of street children in a particular area depends on
availability of work and the initial entry point to the city, the most
common places are:
● Railway Stations and major Bus Terminals
● Tourist spots
● Religious places
● Market places and commercial areas
The Districts of Central Delhi, New Delhi, some parts of South
Delhi and East Delhi have been identified to have high concentration of
street and working children.
Major Concerns with regard to Street Children
and Adolescents in Delhi
● Street children have limited access to education and
health care
● Street children experience harassment and exploitation
at work
● Street children are victims of substance use and
unscrupulous drug traffickers
● Street children are vulnerable to sexual, physical and
emotional abuse
● Studies show high incidence of physical abuse among
street children. They are sexually abused by older kids, homosexuals and
pedophiles
● Street children are vulnerable to trafficking,
commercial sexual exploitation and hazardous labour
● Street children are victims of police harassment
 Make a living by rag picking, shoe shining, street vending or as
domestic and casual workers in shops/restaurants. They work between 4-10
hours a day and earn on an average Rs.20 a day ( $0.45) of which 60-70% is
spent on food. They are denied education, basic health care, adequate
nutrition, leisure time and the safety and security of their homes,
families and communities.
The tragic scenario is the suffering of the children and the
poverty that makes them vulnerable to exploitation and violation of their
rights. Their situation is made worse by the negative attitude of the
general public who are insensitive to their predicament and are least
helpful in improving their situation.
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