GUOTS Briefing Paper 12: The rights of children on the streets

Summary

In February and March 2016, as part of global consultations initiated by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, the Growing up on the Streets network of young people living on the streets were involvement in the development of a new legal framework for children in street situations (2017). The General Comment (UNGC) supplements and strengthens the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), addressing the rights of children growing up in street situations.

Growing up on the Streets is a longitudinal and participatory research project with over 200 street children and youth in Accra (Ghana), Harare (Zimbabwe) and Bukavu (DRC) over three years, between 2012-2016. Participants involved in the UNGC consultations had previously taken part in focus groups covering 10 ‘capabilities’, key aspects of street life defined by participants.