Figure 1.-- India is a Country full of contrasts, with growing economy and dire poverty, open to the modernity and proud of its traditions. A social tragedy in modern India are the street children. India is not the only developing country with street childre, but it has the largest mumber. Major Indian megalopolises are believed to have about 0.1 million street children. The photo shows a group of street children in 2008 awaiting a meal provided by a Christian charity in Mumbai. The clothing of these street children shows the contrasts of modern India. The girls are wearing old dresses, while the boy only his traditional waist-lace.

Along with all the striking economic successes of modern India, the country continues to have an enormous problem--street children. This is not a problem created by the free vmarket economy. It was problem that has developed as a result of urbanization, especially the vey rapid growth of urbzanization since independence. The driving vforce has been rural poverty. India has the largest population of street children in the world. UNICEF estimates the number at over 11 million and this may be a conservative estimate. Large cities like Mumbai, Calcutta and Delhi are believed to have populations of street children exceeding 0.1 miilion. These children have either run away from their families are been ejectedcby them. Many fathers refuse to restrict the number of children they create even though they do not have the ability to care for them. There are also orphans or children living on the street with their families. There tend to be twice as many boys on the streets as girls because even poor families are reluctant to eject girls. And girls can be placed as servants with more affluent families. Some of the children join organized gangs that beg, sing and perform, clean trains, pick pockets, steal or peddle drugs. Almost half despite their age, enter the work force as self-employed individuals. They sell flowers or other goods, work as rag pickers, at tea stalls, as porters and loaders, on catering assignments, as hawkers or other kinds of casual work. This often means working long hours, as much as 10 to 12 hours a day. Many Non-Governental Organizations (NGOs) run shelters or organize employment or recreation activities for the children. The Christian Church is especially active. We are unsure just what the Government is doing or what impact the shift to free market economics has had on this problem.

Created: 6:13 PM 12/8/2009
Last updated: 6:13 PM 12/8/2009