Rights versus Reality

Bridging the gap between legal commitments and lived experiences.

Location: Dhaka and Barisal, Bangladesh
Timeline: 2020–2022
Partners/Funders: Grambangla Unnayan Committee, Consortium for Street Children (UK), Commonwealth Foundation
Beneficiaries: 400 street-connected children surveyed; 46 children and stakeholders
Focus Areas: Child rights, education, health, identity, protection, nutrition, access to services

The Challenge

Street-connected children in Bangladesh face daily violations of their rights despite national commitments under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Children Act 2013. They lack access to education, healthcare, identity documents, and safe shelter. Many are criminalized for survival activities like begging, experience routine violence, and struggle with hunger. Without urgent action, this marginalized group will be left behind in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Eighth Five-Year Plan (2020–2025).

What We Did

  • Surveyed 400 children in Dhaka and Barisal

  • Held 46 interviews and 10 focus groups with children, NGOs, government, and UN stakeholders

  • Collected data on living conditions, work, education, health, and protection risks

  • Documented children’s voices, experiences, and priorities in their own words

  • Analyzed gaps in laws, policies, and service provision against CRC standards

  • Developed policy recommendations for government and civil society

Impact

  • Profiled street children’s realities: Majority work 10+ hours daily, with 35% begging, 42% selling goods, and 7% of girls reporting sexual exploitation

  • Exposed systemic exclusion: 98.5% not in education; only 16% had birth certificates; 79% experienced violence

  • Highlighted health and nutrition risks: 79% could not eat three meals a day; 85% relied on unqualified health providers

  • Revealed COVID-19 hardships: 72% faced food crisis; 65% lost work; 53% lost sleeping places

  • Influenced advocacy: Findings fed into recommendations for birth registration, health services, education access, safe shelters, and child participation

Lessons Learned

  • Identity is foundational: Without birth registration, children cannot access education or health care.

  • Services must be child-friendly: Existing shelters felt restrictive, unsafe, or unwelcoming to children.

  • Voices matter: Children are clear on their needs—housing, food, education—but are rarely included in policy decisions.

Quote

“We want a permanent place to live, eat, and study. We will leave when we are older, and younger children will take our place.” — Street-connected child, Barisal, age 12