Street children in Eastern Europe

Last updated

Street children or orphans in some Eastern European countries face problems such as malnutrition, HIV, lack of resources, victimization though child sex tourism, social stigmatization and discrimination. [1]

Contents

Overview

Children living on the streets often come from a background of poverty and abuse, and a normal childhood is replaced by violence and crime. These children live in tunnels, garbage containers, and basements. In the winter, they take comfort from hot water pipes whose steam provides them with much needed warmth. [2] However, in the early 2000s, [3] as many of the Eastern European countries joined the European Union, they were required to deal with the situation of street children and orphans; and the situation has improved in many of these countries. Unemployment and the extremes of income inequality are some of the causes behind the phenomenon of street children in countries like Russia, Romania and Ukraine.

Romania

The phenomenon of street children in Romania must be understood within a local, historical context. Under Nicolae Ceauşescu, both abortion and contraception were forbidden, leading to a rise in birth rates. [4] In October 1966, the Decree 770 was enacted, which banned abortion, except in exceptional cases. [5] There was an increase in the number of births in the following years, especially in the 1967-1968 period, which resulted in many children being abandoned. This forced children into orphanages run by disabled and mentally ill people. Together, these vulnerable groups were subjected to institutionalised neglect and abuse, including physical and sexual abuse as well as use of drugs to control behaviour. After the fall of communism (December 1989), the conditions which existed in the orphanages were leaked internationally, and created outrage. A news report on the American newsmagazine 20/20 , which first aired on 5 October 1990, was the first to show the conditions in full detail on television. [6] The 1990s was a difficult transition period, and it is during this period that the number of street children was very high. Some ran away or were thrown out of orphanages or abusive homes, and were often seen begging or roaming around the Bucharest Metro; this situation was presented in a documentary called Children Underground, which depicted the life of Romanian street children in 2001. In the 21st century, Romania has taken drastic steps to stop the phenomenons of mistreatment and exploitation of children and child abandonment, and to improve the situation of orphans, especially as it prepared itself to become a member of the European Union. As such, the number of street children declined markedly. Around 2004, about 500 children lived permanently in the streets of Bucharest, while other children (less than 1,500) worked in the streets during the day, but returned home to their families in the evenings - making a total of 2,000 street children in Romania's capital. [7] Child begging is a problem that Romania has taken many steps to prevent, including criminalizing it under the Penal Code, as well as through other civil sanctions that can be applied to parents. Parents who encourage or force children under 18 to beg or to prostitute themselves can face criminal charges. With regard to the right to education of children, parents/legal guardians are obligated to ensure the child gets an education; failure to do so can result in criminal prosecution (Art. 380 Preventing access to compulsory public education). [8] Also, according to Art 33 of Law No. 61/1991 penalising the violation of public order and social standards, parents/legal guardians who fail to take "adequate measures" to prevent children under 16 from engaging in vagrancy, begging, or prostitution are liable to pay a contraventional fine (Law No. 61/1991 on contraventions applies only in cases when the deed of the guilty party does not constitute a criminal offense). [9]

Moldova

Some children in Moldova face abandonment by parents. In Moldova, there are now programs aimed at rehabilitating former street children. [10] In the early 2010s, these programs reduced the numbers of street children significantly. However, these issues continue to persist in modern times with new research shedding light on the problems with children's rights. [11]

Ukraine

In Ukraine, "a social orphan" is a child with one or more living parents who are unable to care for them. [12] The Centre of Motherhood and Childhood, a project supported by UNICEF and its partners in Kherson, provide mothers in poverty with clothes for their children, a place to live, and medical care, so that mothers may avoid abandoning children due to lack of necessary resources. [13] Homeless children in Ukraine typically sleep in manholes or basements, under bridges or on top of hot water pipes. There are up to 4,000 homeless children that live in squalor on the streets of Odesa. Homeless young people often inhale glue or inject cold and flu medicine as ways of taking drugs. [14] Young people turn to inhaling glue as the fumes suppress feelings of cold and hunger and produce auditory and visual hallucinations. [12] Violence, sexual abuse and drug addiction are common among homeless children in Odesa. Many homeless children in Odesa are at high risk for HIV due to the large number sharing needles and engaging in unsafe sex. The base rate of infection is higher than the 1% of the population that epidemiologists say is a critical threshold. The outreach teams claim that close to 1 in 10 of all children tested turned out to be HIV positive [12] UNICEF is currently implementing assistance to these homeless children most notably ‘The Way Home’ which sends an outreach team to visit street children each week. [14] The outreach team provides street children with clean water, food and basic first aid. During the summer, they set up an outdoor camp, giving youths a chance to enjoy activities such as swimming and playing.

Russia

According to the Department of Social Population Protection in Moscow says the city has 4,142 children who are beznadzorniye (neglected), or besprizorniki (homeless). Many[ vague ] Russian children still live outside of the family unit,[ clarification needed ] despite progress in developing family-style alternatives to institutionalization;[ clarification needed ] 156,000 children are currently housed in orphanages or boarding homes. [15] MSF, an international medical organization also known as Doctors Without Borders, which has worked with them since 2003, estimates that there are about 2,000.[ clarification needed ] [16] Numbers from MSF reveal that fifty percent of the street children[ clarification needed ] consume alcohol regularly; 77.8 percent smoke cigarettes; 27.4 percent inhale glue. About one-third[ vague ]use butorphanol, which is classified as a prescription drug but loosely regulated, and are freely able to purchase it at pharmacies. [16] Moscow's department for homeless and neglected children is currently trying to decrease the number of children living on the street. Police bring street children to hospitals where for one to two weeks they undergo examinations and receive medical care. They are then “placed in priyuty, shelters that provide medical services, education and rehabilitation, and where children are received regardless of nationality and the legal documents they hold. Each child’s length of stay depends on what rehabilitative measures are needed. [16] Street children in Russia[ who? ] often miss out on proper education due to the difficulties of living on the streets. Specialists claim that it is possible to reverse homelessness for children if they have been living on the street for less than six months though it is harder if it’s longer since they may have already become used to finding their own ways to survive [17] UNICEF partner Samu Social currently provides emergency assistance, food and water for street children in Moscow. Samu Social sees its mission “as a kind of link in the chain from emergency help for such young people to their social rehabilitation” [17]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orphanage</span> Residential institution devoted to the care of orphans

An orphanage is a residential institution, total institution or group home, devoted to the care of orphans and children who, for various reasons, cannot be cared for by their biological families. The parents may be deceased, absent, or abusive. There may be substance abuse or mental illness in the biological home, or the parent may simply be unwilling to care for the child. The legal responsibility for the support of abandoned children differs from country to country, and within countries. Government-run orphanages have been phased out in most developed countries during the latter half of the 20th century but continue to operate in many other regions internationally. It is now generally accepted that orphanages are detrimental to the emotional wellbeing of children, and government support goes instead towards supporting the family unit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Street children</span> Homeless children living on the street

Street children are poor or homeless children who live on the streets of a city, town, or village. Homeless youth are often called street kids, or urchins; the definition of street children is contested, but many practitioners and policymakers use UNICEF's concept of boys and girls, aged under 18 years, for whom "the street" has become home and/or their source of livelihood, and who are inadequately protected or supervised. Street girls are sometimes called gamines, a term that is also used for Colombian street children of either sex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trafficking of children</span> Form of human trafficking

Trafficking of children is a form of human trafficking and is defined by the United Nations as the "recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, and/or receipt" kidnapping of a child for the purpose of slavery, forced labour, and exploitation. This definition is substantially wider than the same document's definition of "trafficking in persons". Children may also be trafficked for adoption.

Hope and Homes for Children (HHC) is a British registered charity operating and working with children, their families and communities in several countries in Central and Eastern Europe and Africa, to help children grow up in safe and productive environments. The charity moves children out of institutions into family-based care, helps keep together families who are at risk of breakdown due to the pressures of poverty, disease or conflict, and works to prevent child abandonment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HIV/AIDS in India</span>

HIV/AIDS in India is an epidemic. The National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) estimated that 2.14 million people lived with HIV/AIDS in India in 2017. Despite being home to the world's third-largest population of persons with HIV/AIDS, the AIDS prevalence rate in India is lower than that of many other countries. In 2016, India's AIDS prevalence rate stood at approximately 0.30%—the 80th highest in the world. Treatment of HIV/AIDS is via a combination of antiretroviral drugs and education programs to help people avoid infection.

<i>Children Underground</i> 2001 film by Edet Belzberg

Children Underground is an American 2001 documentary film directed and produced by Edet Belzberg. The film which is set in Bucharest, Romania, explores the lives of five children who are shown fighting, abusing themselves, and becoming addicted to Aurolac. This documentary follows the five homeless children in Romania, where the collapse of communism has led to a life on the street for 20,000 children.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prostitution in Ukraine</span> Overview of prostitution in Ukraine

Prostitution in Ukraine is illegal but widespread and largely ignored by the government. In recent times, Ukraine has become a popular prostitution and sex trafficking destination. Ukraine is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children trafficked transnationally for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation. Ukraine's dissolution from the Soviet Union, saw the nation attempt to transition from a planned economy to a market economy. The transition process inflicted economic hardship in the nation, with nearly 80% of the population forced into poverty in the decade that followed its independence. Unemployment in Ukraine was growing at an increasing rate, with female unemployment rising to 64% by 1997. The economic decline in Ukraine made the nation vulnerable and forced many to depend on prostitution and trafficking as a source of income. Sex tourism rose as the country attracted greater numbers of foreign tourists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orphan</span> Child who has lost their parents

An orphan is a child whose parents have died, are unknown or have permanently abandoned them. It can also refer to a child who has lost only one parent, as the Hebrew translation, for example, is "fatherless"

The HIV/AIDS epidemic in Ukraine is one of the fastest-growing epidemics in the world. Ukraine has one of the highest rates of increase of HIV/AIDS cases in Eastern Europe and highest HIV prevalence outside Africa. Experts estimated in August 2010 that 1.3 percent of the adult population of Ukraine was infected with HIV, the highest in all of Europe. Late 2011 Ukraine numbered 360,000 HIV-positive persons. Between 1987 and late 2012 27,800 Ukrainians died of AIDS. In 2012 tests revealed 57 new cases of HIV positive Ukrainians each day and 11 daily AIDS-related deaths.

Child migration or "children in migration or mobility" is the movement of people ages 3–18 within or across political borders, with or without their parents or a legal guardian, to another country or region. They may travel with or without legal travel documents. They may arrive to the destination country as refugees, asylum seekers, or economic migrants.

Orphanhood in Romania became prevalent as a consequence of the Socialist Republic of Romania's pro-natality policy under Nicolae Ceaușescu. Its effectiveness led to an increase in birth rates at the expense of adequate family planning and reproductive rights. Its consequences were most felt with the collapse of the regime's social safety net during the Romanian austerity period, which led to widespread institutional neglect of the needs of orphans, with severe consequences in their health and well-being. A series of international and governmental interventions have taken place since the 1990s to improve the conditions in orphanages and reform the country's child protection system, with variable degrees of success.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deinstitutionalisation (orphanages and children's institutions)</span> Process of closing down orphanages

Deinstitutionalisation is the process of reforming child care systems and closing down orphanages and children's institutions, finding new placements for children currently resident and setting up replacement services to support vulnerable families in non-institutional ways. It became common place in many developed countries in the post war period. It has been taking place in Eastern Europe since the fall of communism and is now encouraged by the EU for new entrants. It is also starting to take hold in Africa and Asia although often at individual institutions rather than statewide. New systems generally cost less than those they replace as many more children are kept within their own family. Although these goals have been made internationally, they are actively being working towards as reform and new reforms are put into practice slowly as is fit for each country.

Based on the definition by the Inter-NGO Programme on Street Children and Street Youth, 1983, a street child refers to "any boy or girl…for whom the street in the widest sense of the word…has become his or her habitual abode and/or source of livelihood, and who is inadequately protected, supervised, or directed by responsible adults". One recent U.S. State Department study reported an estimated 20,000 children on the streets of Thailand's major urban centres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Street children in India</span>

A street child is a child "for whom the street has become his or her habitual abode and/or source of livelihood; and who is inadequately protected, supervised, or directed by responsible adults".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orphans in the Soviet Union</span>

At certain periods the Soviet state had to deal with large numbers of orphans and other kinds of street children — due to a number of turmoils in the history of the country from its very beginnings. Major contributors to the population of orphans and otherwise homeless children included World War I (1914–1918), the October Revolution of November 1917 followed by the Russian Civil War (1917–1922), famines of 1921–1922 and of 1932–1933, political repression, forced migrations, and the Soviet-German War theatre (1941–1945) of World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orphans in Russia</span>

As of 2011 from the numbers presented from Russia at the UN states that, Russia has over 650,000 children who are registered orphans, 70% of which arrived in the orphanages in the 1990s. Of these, 370,000 are in state-run institutions while the others are either in foster care or have been adopted. Reports have ranged saying that between 66 and 95% of all of these children are considered social orphans, meaning that one or more of their birth parents are still alive. As of 2023 there were 34,000 orphans in Russia according to Deputy Prime Minister of Russia for Social Policy.

Georgette Mulheir was the chief executive of Lumos, an international non-governmental organisation, founded in 2005 by J. K. Rowling to end the institutionalisation of orphaned children throughout the world, from 2011–2019. Her model of deinstitutionalisation, pioneered since 1993, has been followed in many countries across Eastern and central Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armenia and the United Nations</span> Armenia at the United Nations

Armenia was admitted into the United Nations on 2 March 1992, following its independence from the Soviet Union. In December 1992, the UN opened its first office in Yerevan. Since then, Armenia has signed and ratified several international treaties. There are 20 specialized agencies, programs, and funds operating in the country under the supervision of the UN Resident Coordinator. Armenia strengthened its relations with the UN by cooperating with various UN agencies and bodies such as the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the World Food Programme, and with the financial institutions of the UN. Armenia is a candidate to preside as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2031.

Child prostitution in Ukraine has been described by Juan Miguel Petit, Special Rapporteur on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography for the United Nations, as a major problem in the country.

Street children in Ukraine are underage individuals who live and survive in Ukrainian streets without attendance and care of adults. As a rule they are dwelling in landfills, public transit stations, junkyards, or under the bridges of major cities. The country's legal system defines the term "street children" as children who either left their family or have been abandoned by their parents. Violence against them is considered to be a widespread and serious national problem because in Ukraine they can become victims of commercial sexual exploitation, police violence, civil rights abuses and human trafficking.

References

  1. ↑ Hooper, Simon. "Eastern European street kids facing 'HIV epidemic'". CNN. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  2. ↑ Polak, Hanna. "Life on the streets: millions of children remain homeless, without care and protection" . Retrieved 29 May 2012.
  3. ↑ "History of the European Union – 2000-09 | European Union". european-union.europa.eu. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  4. ↑ McGeown, Kate (8 July 2005). "What happened to Romania's orphans?". BBC . Retrieved 9 October 2009.
  5. ↑ "Decretul 770/1966 - Legislatie gratuita". www.legex.ro. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  6. ↑ "'20/20': Inside Romanian Orphanages". 5 October 1990. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2018.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. ↑ "UNICEF Romania - The children - Children living on the streets". www.unicef.org. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  8. ↑ "Art. 380 Noul Cod Penal Împiedicarea accesului la învăţământul general obligatoriu Infracţiuni contra familiei" . Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  9. ↑ "Legea privind tulburarea linistii publice". www.avocatura.com. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  10. ↑ "How We Help - Jewish Charities UK - London". www.worldjewishrelief.org. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  11. ↑ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326672289_STREET_CHILDREN_IN_REPUBLIC_OF_MOLDOVA_CURRENT_SITUATION_AND_FUTURE_PERSPECTIVES
  12. 1 2 3 Theroux, Marcel (16 May 2012). "Life with Ukraine's Street Children". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
  13. ↑ "Poverty in Ukraine leads to abandoned babies" . Retrieved 29 May 2012.
  14. 1 2 Degan, Guy. "'The Way Home' works to protect the rights and lives of street children in Odessa" . Retrieved 29 May 2012.
  15. ↑ "'I have the right': UNICEF Russia launches child rights campaign" . Retrieved 29 May 2012.
  16. 1 2 3 Man, Joyce. "Life on the Streets" . Retrieved 28 May 2012.
  17. 1 2 Gorbachova, Maria. "For homeless Russian children, hope and help to get off the streets" . Retrieved 29 May 2012.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.