Streetchildren and Gangs in African Cities: Guidelines for Local Authorities

The problem of street children is well documented in Latin America and South-East Asia.
However, in Africa it is a comparative by new phenomenon. Sub-Saharan Africa is currently
the least urbanized region of the developing world, with about 30 percent of the population
living in cities. Catching up fast, Africa is currently experiencing the highest urban growth
rates. Local authorities in Africa are increasingly confronted with a rising number of street
children and all too often do not quite know how to deal with this growing problem.
It is thus the objective of this report to provide guidelines for local authorities in Africa on
how to deal with street children in their cities. This is done by:
• Providing an overview of the issue of street children in general;
• Providing an overview of the issue of different roles local authorities can play when
addressing the issue of street children.
Street children refers to children in urban areas who have completely or partially ruptured
family ties and engage in various survival activities on the streets. To the general public,
these children are considered a nuisance. Obviously, extreme deprivation and social
exclusion create opportunities for crime involvement. However, little evidence exists to
suggest that street children actively or deliberately plan criminal activities. They perceive
themselves as discriminated against and hated.