Studies of Policies and Programmes Addressing the Right of Street Children to Education

Summary

The twenty-first century presents a hostile face to millions of children in many countries
in the world. An increasing number of children are being forced to the streets as result
of poverty, abuse, conflict, trafficking, and HIV/AIDS. Human rights violations against
women and children have become a common and disturbing occurrence in the world
especially in developing countries. Indeed denial of basic education and legal rights
including the right to life, liberty and security are now a defining feature of the world’s
socio-economic landscape.
Nepal, a land-locked country, is located in the South Asian region between India and
China, and is one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world. The national
population census report (2001) discloses that Nepal is home to 23.2 million people of
which the majority is female. 50 percent of the total population is below the 18 years of
age. Women and children are engaged in different productive and non-productive
economic sectors throughout the country as primary and secondary breadwinners for
their families. Their input in the economic sector has been vital; however their
contribution to the economic development of the country is hardly measured by the
national economic yardstick. Their status in terms of knowledge, education, economic
resources, politics, and personal autonomy in decision-making is undermined in society.