International advocacy
“ Types of care include: practical and moral support to children on the streets, through a trustworthy adult street worker or peer support, without requiring or coercing children to renounce their street connections and/or move into alternative accommodation."
What is the General Comment No. 21?
General Comments are published by United Nations treaty bodies, to interpret and provide guidance on human rights treaties. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is the key piece of international law on children’s rights. It describes what children need to survive, grow and reach their potential in life.
The General Comment on Children in Street Situations lays out how the Convention applies to street-connected children. Its publication was a historical moment for street children, as it is the first piece of international law to concern them.
What’s next?
We are working with our local partners to influence governments to adhere to the General Comment and inform their policies concerning street children on a national level.