Addressing the Educational Needs of Street Children in Lebanon: A Hotchpotch of Policy and Practice

Abstract

The presence of school-age children engaged in various subsistence activities on the street when they should be at school is a common and growing phenomenon worldwide. It has become a major social issue in Lebanon over the past decade fuelled by a massive increase in the refugee population. Robust statistical data on street children at the national level are, however, missing. Government ministries and NGOs have responded to varying degrees to address the needs of these children, but the overall picture is one of the piecemeal efforts with a poor level of inter-sectoral coordination. Whatisbadlyneededisanintegratedapproachtotheproblemthattakesintoaccount the unique Lebanese context.