A place in society? Strengthening livelihood opportunities for street children - A rights-based approach

Abstract

Street children within the eThekwini (Durban) municipality are largely regarded as a nuisance and the dominant response to their emergence is attempts to remove them. In most cases the children have no say in the planning of their futures. This article is based on a rights-based approach that involved two groups of street children in generating information about their daily livelihood activities and the risks they confront in securing a livelihood. Based on the findings, the article makes strategic and practical recommendations to improve street-based interventions, and suggests a set of tools and indicators for measuring the success of a more rights-based approach to working with street children.