Socio-Economic Status of Street Children (A Case Study of Pokhara)

Abstract

The study entitled “Socio-economic Status of Street Children: A Case Study of Pokhara” was conducted in Pokhara city during 2012-2013 to find out the causes and consequences of the street children as well as their socio-economic status. The explanatory research method was applied to investigate the minimum acquaintance about street children and similarly the descriptive method was employed to identify the major problems associated with them. Out of 74 street children 50 were used in the study by snowball technique.

Most of the children were of about age range of 10-12 years. Among them 54, 26 and 20 percent were from Dalit, Janajaties and Upper caste, respectively. Sixty six percent of children were literate and 34 percent never attended school. Reasons behind not attending school were lack of awareness, lack of support from guardian, poor economy and lack of interest on themselves. Factors that forced the children to leave their home was maltreatment by family members, expectation of better life, pressure of work at home, poor economic status of the family and breakdown of their family due to second marriage either from father or mother or early death of both parents. Education status of street children was very bad. Health status of street children was also very fragile as they didn’t get hygienic food to eat.

In the study area majority of street children were street rag-pickers, beggar and load carrier. They earned nominal amount of money and only few of them saved their earning. Fifty four percent of the respondents have saving habits. They spend their earning for food, alcohol, cigarette and habitual dendrite sniffing.

Circumstances and problems faced by street children were mistreatment of police, and stealing of goods and belongings. Major dreams of the respondents were to become drivers, mechanics, social workers, soldiers and police.

Street life of children is full of trouble, challenge, complexity and hardships. Every day they did fight with the hurdles, obstacles and risky circumstances. From this study it is suggested that the government agencies, NGOs, INGOs and local communities should focus their immediate attention on the causes and consequences of street children and suggest their permanent way out.