Census 2006. The rhetoric and reality of Tanzania's Street Children
Author(s): K. McAlpine
This paper presents the findings from the October 2006 census, which highlighted the trends and the situation of vulnerable children on the streets of northern Tanzania's Arusha and Moshi towns. Within the larger research and policy-making communities, this research contributes to the limited literature on street children, adding to our understanding that street children do not present a homogenous population. This census provides a snapshot of the lives and aspirations of street children and youth in northern Tanzania. The emerging picture contradicts prevailing attitudes that stigmatise these children as deviants, criminals and as socially aberrant. For example, 77 percent of respondents spend their time working for more than 12 hours a day. The paper also reveals that when children are abused within their homes and communities there are no resources, procedures or measures in place to either prevent the abuse or to help children heal from it. In conclusion, the report specifies that agencies that work with children and youth in Tanzania need to conduct more research, advocacy for policy and development of services for children who are at risk of becoming homeless. In particular, the issue of children and youth on the streets has to be addressed not as problem whereby individuals are penalised and stigmatised, but rather as a collective failure in policy making. The lack of investment in education and protection services for children and employment opportunities for youth must be urgently addressed.