Syllabus: GS- II & V: Vulnerable Sections

Why in the News?

Guwahati, Assam’s rapidly growing urban hub, hides within its bustling streets a silent humanitarian crisis — that of thousands of homeless and neglected street children. Despite the city’s expansion, these children remain excluded from education, healthcare, and social protection, surviving in unsafe spaces such as railway platforms, footpaths, bus depots, and slums.

Who Are Street Children?

Street children are minors living or working on the streets, often disconnected from family or guardians. In Guwahati, most are between 8 and 17 years old, largely boys from migrant or impoverished rural families of Assam and neighbouring states. Some arrive with their families, while others flee domestic violence or poverty, seeking work or escape in the city’s chaotic freedom.

Major Issues Affecting Street Children in Guwahati

1. Poverty and Exploitation:

Nearly 50% of street children work as rag pickers, hawkers, shoeshine boys, or helpers in shops and hotels. Their daily income (₹100–₹200) barely covers food, leading many to skip meals or rely on tea to suppress hunger. Older children face police harassment, extortion, and exploitation by employers or peers.

2. Substance Abuse:

A 2025 study found 82% of Guwahati’s street children, especially adolescents, engage in substance abuse — primarily sniffing Dendrite, inhaling whiteners, or using alcohol, cannabis, and opioids. For many, drug use becomes a coping mechanism to endure hunger, abuse, and loneliness.

3. Health and Hygiene:

• Constant exposure to heat, rain, and pollution causes respiratory and skin infections.
  
• Dependence on leftovers and unsafe water results in malnutrition and gastrointestinal diseases.
  
• Lack of toilets forces open defecation; public bathing near water pipes erodes personal dignity.
  
• High risk of HIV/AIDS, particularly among street girls, due to exploitation and lack of awareness.
  

4. Lack of Education and Future Prospects:

Most children are illiterate or school dropouts, trapped in cycles of daily survival. With no parental care or government rehabilitation, they have little hope for change — many turning to petty crime or child labour.

5. Gender-Based Vulnerability:

Street girls face sexual abuse, molestation, and early pregnancies. The lack of protective shelters or gender-sensitive intervention exposes them to prostitution and trafficking networks.

Legal and Institutional Frameworks:

• Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015: Mandates care for children in need of protection.
  
• Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS): Provides institutional and non-institutional care.
  
• National Policy for Children, 2013: Recognizes every child’s right to survival, development, and protection.
  
• NCPCR & SCPCR: Monitor child rights violations.
  However, implementation gaps, poor coordination, and lack of urban child mapping limit their impact in Guwahati.
  

Way Forward:

• Comprehensive Census: Conduct a detailed count of street children to plan targeted interventions.
  
• Rehabilitation through NGOs: Empower local NGOs like Snehalaya or Childline 1098 with financial and logistical support.
  
• Mobile Education and Health Units: Establish outreach programs offering basic schooling and healthcare.
  
• Substance De-addiction and Skill Training: Combine rehabilitation with livelihood generation.
  
• Community Awareness: Sensitize urban residents to adopt compassionate engagement with street children.
  

Key Takeaways:

• Street children represent the most invisible and vulnerable segment of Guwahati’s urban poor.
  
• Their plight demands a multi-sectoral approach combining welfare, education, and child protection.
  
• Empowering NGOs and implementing ICPS and JJ Act effectively can help reintegrate them into mainstream society.
  

Exam Hook – Mains Question:

Discuss the major challenges faced by street children in urban India. What measures can be taken to ensure their protection and rehabilitation, with special reference to Guwahati?

One-line Wrap:

Beneath Guwahati’s shining skyline, thousands of childhoods sleep on cold pavements — waiting not for charity, but for a chance at dignity.

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