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STREET CHILDREN'S WORK Most of the associations making up the network have found themselves faced with all sorts of situations linked to the question of street childrens' work. On reading their letters and reports, a number of questions have arisen from whence we have endeavoured to outline the problem. How have they reacted to certain problems? What experiences have they attempted? What were the results? Success, for how long? Thanks to whom or to what? Failure or dissatisfaction due to whom or what? Before, however, referring to various experiences (don't forget to let us have yours), basic positions on the work of children must be recalled in order to clarify the points of view.
Various points of view
The work of children is considered differently depending on the culture and traditions of different countries. In the West, it is thought that poverty is both the consequence and the cause of children working. A poor family does not have the means to send its children to school to obtain suitable training. Forced to work to survive, poverty keeps them in ignorance. At a stroke their future is compromised, it is a vicious circle. From the point of view of Western culture, the work of children is seen as a dramatic fatality. It should not be forgotten that the first international legislation requiring the abolition of child work is hardly more than twenty years old. It is very much influenced by the guilt of Western societies that employed thousands of children in mines or factories in the industrial boom of the 19th Century. Children who work are, in the West, subjects of compassion. Nevertheless, in other disadvantaged parts of the world there is a quite different analysis of children's work. For example, a teenager interviewed in Cusco stated that: "Here, there is no work. That is why we work from childhood, to learn something, get some experience of life, learn order, learn to work, learn to judge...". Moreover, most observers have noted that children and adolescents do not merely ensure their survival by working, but that they all seek, through work, to live with dignity and express their social usefulness. The foregoing does not mean that there is no awareness of the risks or potential abuses of children's work: insupportable hours, too heavy burdens, inappropriate remuneration, risks to their health, etc.. If, however, these risks are avoided, and they must be guarded against, getting a child employment can procure for him an added importance and economic responsibility in his family and entourage. It should not be concluded that childrens' work is the best means for their development, but that there may be a different way of analyzing that situation. The
importance of work
for street children Work is important because:
The
stages to overcome
Extracts
from
"Their life in the city: the children who work in the street" The Qosqo Maki association has been active on the streets of Cusco (Peru) for fifteen years. The observations and studies carried out throughout that period have given rise to a number of publications. Here are some extracts from one of those, written by Isabel BAUFUMÉ and published in 1998. The problem of child workers is described in its entirety, whether or not the children are street children. (...) "After years spent with children and young people working on the streets, we have come to the conclusion that, even if the work conditions may in some cases be detrimental to the child's development, he may, in many other cases, acquire incontrovertible advantages. We must decode the message of the children who work. How many child workers are there on the streets? (...) According to the census we have carried out, 3,127 children between 6 and 17 work on the streets of Cusco, a town with 300,000 inhabitants. 20% of them are under 12, the legal working age in Peru. (...) They cannot really choose their activity since it depends on the market and they demonstrate great flexibility in adapting their competence to the demand. Girls represent only one third of the workers on the streets, where they are in fact much less numerous than boys, probably because of their domestic tasks. They are preponderant in the commercial sector, as are the little children, whereas the older ones choose activity requiring physical strength. What are their working hours? Work time on the streets has advantages even though precarious and the remuneration unforeseeable. In general, however, there is a marked flexibility adapted to the possibilities of each and all: less than 6 hours a day for those under 8, or only during the weekend for the 27% who sell on the markets. (...) Street work is less restricting than that of an employee and allows the children to take advantage of slack periods to amuse themselves. For example, shoeshine boys, present 12 hours a day, actually work only 2 or 3 hours. A special case is that of ticket collectors in buses. The different advantages explain why the children queue every morning at the terminal in the hope of a withdrawal. They represent a sixth of all child workers and actually work 12 hours a day as with the driver. It is the minimum length of time required for the service to be profitable. They are exploited by the law of supply and demand. The offer is generally a daily, one week or two weeks contract which is generally renewable if the child is punctual. The demand is that of a child (who, because of his small size, can work standing, whereas an adult has to bend over) who finds a certain amount of advantages: a guaranteed minimum wage increased by tips on a good day. In addition he lunches with the driver, an important aspect for a growing child, and, as he works in a team, he learns mechanics and how to drive, an important asset for future employment. Many of them, after having worked all week, follow school classes on Sundays to obtain the school certificate which is obligatory in obtaining a driving licence. Do the young workers go to school? Our study shows clearly that the supposed desertion of school by working children is a myth. Only 18% of the children stated that they do not study. (...) Among them, we found a large proportion of young people from the country, speaking Spanish badly (their mother tongue is Quechua), whose rural experience is useless in the city and their scholastic level lower than that of young townspeople who despise them. In addition, they earn too little to allow them to cover the cost of schooling. (...) What are the family situations of the young workers? 88% of the young workers live in a family type structure, (...) demonstrating that the Peruvian concept of childhood is quite different from that of the West. In Andian culture, work is an essential value. In a peasant community, the production unit is the family and not the parents. All children are thus given, from 5 years old onwards, specific tasks that change in accordance to their age and their sex. The fact of being responsible for part of the family production confers on the child the feeling of belonging to the community (...) and confirms his expertise and usefulness (...). Emigratio leads to an effort by the family to adapt to a new environment, that of the city. The children are thus given other revenue-earning tasks ensuring that they continue to play an active part in the community. (...) Not one of them would feel at ease if they were unoccupied because they would lose their usefulness, their self-respect and statue among the community. Among the 12 to 14 year olds, 9% stated that they live outside a family structure and may be considered to correspond to the group known as "street children". Their situation is less worrying than may appear at first glance. Most of them are shoeshine boys or porters and state that they live in a home or private room. The case of Cusco is special, since there are two shelters for homeless children (...) which means they can escape from the vicious circle of marginality. They can therefore carry out their work independently, without being persecuted by the national or municipal police. (...) To summarize, the question of the detrimental effects of work on the development of children cannot be evaluated unless it is compared with the positive aspect, in the logic of a balance between advantages and disadvantages, successes and failures. (...) It is not coercive measures that ensure development, but those measures offering a wider choice to the young people and taking into account their opinion, so that they are free to choose and to put their decisions into practice."
Other extracts from reports and
testimonies from REPER members
"The Convention of Children's Rights is very important and a significant foundation on which to base our actions. But it isn't adapted to the problems of children in difficulty or working. The right to have a family is essential and we help these children to return home when that is possible, but that isn't always the case. If it isn't, then the children want to have the right to live free and happy in the street, to be protected not only from gang leaders, but also from police on raids who arrest children even if they haven't committed any crime and then beat them up at the police station. Of course, it is important to fight against child labour, especially when it concerns genuine exploitation or dangerous work. But in light of the economic problems in the city, many children need to work to live and also to help provide for their family. In any case, they can't go to school - less than half of this country's children attend school. The state doesn't have the means. Isn't it better to work than do nothing? What the children want is the right to work, but in better conditions (adequate protection, respect, duties which aren't too heavy, a salary which corresponds to the work done) and the possibility to be trained. We are working along these lines with organizations in a dozen Western African countries. We're meeting legislative leaders, too, so that youths can create small businesses without being subject to onerous and complicated corporate legislation."
"Nanban set up in 1996 a programme allowing young people who so wished to become a conductor or conductress of a rickshaw and proprietor of the vehicle. The rickshaw is a kind of motorized taxi-bicycle. All this sprang from a young girl, doubtless less than inspired by the trades usually exercised by women, who expressed the wish to exercise that profession, until then exclusively masculine. Nanban helped her obtain her driving licence, and bought her a vehicle, the cost of which she was to reimburse without interest, in 30 instalments. In addition, she was told that, in regard to the customers, certain rules of politeness, indeed, friendliness, were obligatory, as well as correct and decent dress. She was the first rickshaw conductress in Maduraï, to the pride and joy of all, throughout India, informed by the media of this great first. She was able to pay off her debt for the vehicle well in advance of the time allotted and many of the youth of Nanban emulated her: almost 50 young people followed her example. Moreover, since rickshaws sometimes break down, the young do-it-yourselfers of Nanban mended them, and little by little a real mechanical breakdown workshop was created and opened to the neighbouring public, giving work to a whole team of mechanics from Nanban. Sadly, we have learnt that the rickshaw conductor programme has had to be abandoned because of changes in the sector: the authorities have restricted the number of rickshaws in town and require from conductors a much higher level of qualification, etc. Nanban has given up the programme and redirected the funds available to the workshop. Some conductors have given voice to their experiences: "Being our own boss gave us a sense of responsibility. This job provided us with a stable and comfortable revenue. Being the owners of our vehicles, we took great care of them and kept them in good working order. Nanban opened up a new direction for womens' work. This job, which pays well, is much less tiring than carrying on the head heavy loads from building sites. The creation of a workshop was a great help for us girls."."
Why? Children and work are words which, generally, we do not like to associate. In the rights of the child, one of the the principal rights is that of not working. In respect of the specific problem of street children, however, work can be a means of reinsertion that should not be overlooked, for two kinds of reasons. How? The first point to underline is that work for a street child under the control of an NGO should not be, for the child, an obligation but rather a choice among others (education, professional training, reinsertion into the family, ...). This choice should be a true request by a child or youth who is already used to working and earning money on the street. In our NGO, Rekebisho, in Nairobi, we gather in street children of all ages. At present, we have 50 children. The main goal of our activity is to allow these young people to be independent and to live properly and honestly. We look after them, therefore, until they reach adulthood, have their own lodgings, job, and have stopped completely taking drugs or imbibing alcohol. Among the other means of reinsertion we suggest to the children in our centre, we propose two kinds of work. One of these is to be trained and to work through our NGO. In fact, the young people have a short period of training in local crafts for the manufacture of goods we sell afterwards through our association, the young people being paid in accordance with the number of objects made. This work method has been in force since the beginning of our activity in 1999. Finally, and recently, we propose another type of work corresponding to reality: some street children do not wish to live in a welcome centre and prefer to remain on the street. We have therefore decided to help them where they are, that is, on the street, by suggesting they start up minor, ambulant street trades so that they do not need to turn to illegal activities to meet their needs, and to reduce their intake of solvents and other drugs, for they need to have their wits about them for their trade to make them some money. This second sort of work is something new for us, since we have only been doing it for two months. Nevertheless, initial results are rather encouraging.
The Félix Deschamps Foundation in Yaoundé has sent us the following summary of a study it submitted to the Cameroon Ministry of Work: "Traffic in children is here among us in Cameroon. There are three kinds of traffickers: the promoters (those who find places for the children to work), the people movers, who are the intermediaries, and the users. Street children are victims of this traffic. Prostitutes also use children: their work consists of finding customers from 10 p.m. until dawn (...). Six children between 11 and 13 told us that they frequently had sexual relations with the prostitutes in lieu of pay. This has led us to set up the MST/AIDS prevention programme for street children. (...) Some children are "found a place" from their home country. We met six, aged from 9 to 12, used in petty trade. The takings are given to their user at the end of the day. The money which the children ought to be given is nothing more than their food and lodging."
"The problem of children labour is a difficult one often confused by ideas of varied origins applied to different realities with often more passion than rigor in their analysis. Briefly three points deserve to be clarified. 1. The age of the child: the situation will be different if it concerns children aged 7, 12 or 17 although from a legal point of view all three are children. 2. The condition of these children: "street children"or
"children in the street"? 3. The real problem is not the actual work but the exploitation of the children and the real question is: to whom does child work benefit? It is to the child if he learns a job and therefore prepares his future, but it will be to the child’s employer if he is exploited. An exploited child does not prepare his future. A child who works means two redundant adults: his father because he takes his job for an inferior wage, and himself when he will have become an adult and will in turn be replaced by a child. The exploitation of children is unacceptable. But it is a by-product of adult exploitation and must be fought as such. It is an illusion to believe the rights of children can be preserved as long as those of adults are not."
"Hundreds of children ragmen work in Howra and surroundings many of which are under the age of five. The child ragman is the saddest of all children of the street. Searching permanently in refuse dumps he has lost all faith in himself. Having also lost his self-respect he believes he will never succeed although he achieves 75% of all garbage recycling and thus helps his community. He is being had and exploited by those who buy what he collects at a very low price. In order to give them more negotiating power and faith in justice, Ashalayam has open storage spaces where the daily collects of the children are grouped in order to sell them direct and at a fair price to the recycling merchants. This experience has worked and the children have benefited. In the event of the monthly meeting organised by Ashalayam for the children of the street, Hindustan Petroleum has offered to the rag boys 150 caps, 150 pairs of gloves, and 150 pairs of rubber boots which will help them in keeping cleaner and in better health. But above all this action will have given them more dignity in their work, and made them realise that they contributed to the general activity and helped improve the environnement. Ashalayam has developed some professional training programs, which should bring results. One of them concerns woodwork. The training is carried out in five different fields: technology and drawing plans; knowledge of tools and species; woodwork mortice and tenon joint turning; ornamental carving. A diploma is delivered at the end of the course. Gradually orders are received from clients, for instance 47 benches and chairs for a school. Three out of six of our first students found some work very quickly."
Enda published some time ago a study on the "Little maids of Dakar". Senegalese households would supply the greatest number of jobs. Household jobs concern over 80.000 people. The working conditions are very harsh: we are up from morning to evening non-stop with many chores and hardships. We are seldom entitled to bank holidays, receive an unfair treatment and make little money. We do not know what our rights are but we do know who we are." The Publications of the Social Urban Bureau (Kigali, RWANDA)
have also published a study on "Households in Kigali". For more
info write to
VECED deals with a very special job: that of a child soldier. "Further to 9 years of political crisis, the fighters need to increase their numbers. This explains why they recruit child soldiers: their number would be approximately 14.000. Some minors are enlisted officially in the army; others are used as "doriyas" or policemen. You can write to:
Children who work often see their savings stolen. Chandrodaya has opened a bank for deposits where children can hand in their money. Over 250 children of the street have opened an account. You can write to: The French newspaper "La Croix" mentions a bank for children of the street in New Delhi. The older ones can obtain small credits to develop their business. Those who save money receive a 10% interest. A youngster has been chosen by his friends to run the bank.
"A lengthy process of analysis and accompaniment has led us to note that a street child is a worker capable of making himself or herself useful and be responsible for his or her future. We thus began with simple things such as breeding poultry in the centres where the children live. (...)
"All the young people who have left the Centre have found employment. But did they have the perseverance to stay in their jobs? That remains to be verified."
"Guatemala is in a bad situation (...) and the children pay a heavy toll. According to the International Labour Organisation, work carried out by children in the informal sector, represents 20% of the PIB of Guatemala (...). The State provides ridiculously low funds and, therefore, there are no programmes adapted to their needs, no qualified personnel and, above all, political incentive. (...)"
The AAA took special steps and asked the local authorities to allow legal adopt the children. The association has already adopted 94 children of which 26 boys and girls are over 18 years of age. They have to save in order to contribute to social welfare. So as to assist them in finding employment, the AAA pays their future employer for six months training. The former 'adoptees' teach the youngsters to read. The AAA is studying the possibility of creating a foundation so as to perpetuate the financing of each child from the time of its arrival until it reaches its majority and asks the question as to the possibility of creating a solidarity fund within REPER. AAA is seeking volunteer workers from abroad to teach the different trades in Nepal.
 Created
on 29 april, 2006 - Updated on 17 november, 2007 |
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