Stakeholders in Kwara State have raised awareness on the need to educate and amplify the voice of street children.
Some of them who spoke with news men during a sensitisation walk organised by Home and Street Kids Welfare Initiative (HSKi) on Saturday in Ilorin said that educating street children is paramount to a safer society.
The Founder and Executive Director of HSKi, Miss Funmi Omisope said the International Day for Street Children (IDSC) is being celebrated globally, to look into the plights of street children and do something for them to ease their situation.
Omisope also said that majority of the street children were from dysfunctional families, who prioritise making money to caring for their children.
“Today we are here on an awareness walk to commemorate the 2025 IDSC day, and the theme for the year is ‘Meaningful Children Participation’ which means children should be allowed to be a part of decisions that shape their life.
“These children have aspirations, they have dreams, we cannot just take them off the streets without them understanding why they are leaving the street.
“They have survival instincts and some of them have sick parents or grandparents they stay with, so if you take them off the street, they may not be happy wherever they go, that is why we need to give them a voice to be heard.
“We understand it is not easy to feed these children and we are not saying they should not help you, but ensure they go to school first in the morning because education is important”, she said.
The Director Social Welfare of the Kwara Ministry of Social Development, Mr James Kayode said that the Kwara government was committed to eradicating child labour.
Kayode said the government identifies with the street children and is charting ways to eradicating the prevalence of street children in the state.
“We collaborate with private organisations to sensitise the public, many are not even aware of the plights of these street children.
“We call on philanthropists to come to the aid of these children, especially their education, government cannot do it alone”, he said.
The Secretary of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) in Kwara, Barr. Tolulope Oniyide said that every child is protected by law in Nigeria.
Oniyide explained that the Nigeria constitution also protects children whether on the street or the average children who live with their parents and having a normal life.
“We have the Child Right Act, the only problem is the quantum of the implementation of these laws, which differ from one state to the other.
“Street children are also recognised all over the world, today we want everyone to know that they have a place where they can be taken care of and that their voice can also be heard”, she said.
Oniyide encouraged women to empower themselves so that they can in turn care and educate their children, in order to eradicate the menance of street children.
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