The Minister of Community Development, Gender, Women, and Special Groups, Dr. Dorothy Gwajima, has called for strengthened community cooperation to prevent children from living and working on the streets, especially in urban areas.
Minister Dr. Gwajima made these remarks on April 9, 2025, in Dodoma during a press conference in preparation for the International Day for Children Living and Working on the Streets, which will be nationally observed on April 12, 2025, in Mtwara Region.
Dr. Gwajima reported that from July 2024 to March 2025, a total of 8,372 children (4,218 boys and 4,154 girls) living and working on the streets were rescued and provided with various services.
Of these, 1,056 children are currently in children’s homes and safe houses, 86 are with trusted guardians, and the remaining children have been reunited with their families.
She highlighted that the primary causes driving children to the streets include household poverty, family conflicts, marital issues, child abuse, the death of parents or guardians, school dropout, urbanization, and peer pressure.
"The government has implemented several measures to address the issue of children living and working on the streets. These measures include resolving marital conflicts through Social Welfare Offices nationwide, coordinating services for survivors of gender-based violence and child abuse, and providing care and protection through two government-run children's homes," said Dr. Gwajima.
In addition, Dr. Gwajima emphasized that the government is focusing on strategies to eliminate the underlying causes of children being pushed to the streets.
This includes the "Close the Tap" model, which targets family and economic challenges that drive children to seek refuge in urban areas.
"The government has launched a public awareness campaign on the issue of children living and working on the streets, starting with a campaign on April 7, 2025. Various discussions and debates will be organized across the country to reach a wider audience. On April 11, 2025, in Mtwara Region’s Chikongola Ward, there will be a face-to-face discussion with the public to address the role of families and communities in preventing children from going to the streets," Dr. Gwajima said.
Meanwhile, the representative of the Dodoma Regional Commissioner, District Commissioner of Chamwino Janeth Mayanja, remarked that the commemoration of the International Day for Children Living and Working on the Streets is part of the implementation of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, as articulated in General Comment No. 21 of 2017, which focuses on the situation of children living on the streets.
"We recognize that the Ministry has the responsibility to coordinate and oversee the provision of services for children in vulnerable situations, including those living and working on the streets. As a region, we are collaborating to ensure this responsibility is effectively carried out, by creating an enabling environment through policies, laws, regulations, guidelines, and various strategies that protect children's rights, strengthen welfare systems, and improve child protection," Janeth said.
The main event of the commemoration will be held at the VETA Hall in Mtwara on April 12, 2025, with government leaders, development partners, and the public in attendance.
