The Plight of Street Children in Zambia

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Periodical article

Title:	The Plight of Street Children in Zambia
Author:	Phiri, Jonathan
Year:	1996
Periodical:	Africa Insight
Volume:	26
Issue:	3
Pages:	276-281
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Zambia
Subjects:	street children Urbanization and Migration Peoples of Africa (Ethnic Groups) Labor and Employment Economics and Trade Education and Oral Traditions
Abstract:	This article examines the plight of street children (frequently called 'mishanga' boys and girls) in Zambia. It highlights economic and social factors leading to streetism, such as unemployemt, a high population growth rate, an inadequate school system, and urbanization. It also describes interventions by the government, nongovernmental agencies and the churches which aim to attract street children away from the street. A joint initiative of Unicef and the Zambian government in 1991 established important principles, long-term goals and 15 far-reaching recommendations, the three most important of which are: the development of multipurpose activity centres, the establishment of family or interfamily income-generating units, and the embodiment in all initiatives of a plan for self-sufficiency and auto-determination within a reasonable space of time. Ref.