Don't close your eyes before street involved children

International Day of Street Involved Children and Children at Risk, is being marked on April 12. These children face physical and psychological violence every day, and they are exposed to danger of being exploited and included in the human trafficking chain.

Save the Children, together with partner organisations in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia works on identification of efficient models of support and protection services for children working and/or living on the street and children at risk, with regards to prevention and reduction of risks from violence, exploitation, abuse and neglect, including reducing risks from unsafe migrations and human trafficking.

As one of the most important results of this work, drop-in centres for street involved children were opened in several towns in B-H and Serbia. Drop-in centres provide support and protection services to this group of children. In these centres children can get a warm meal, assistance to enrol to school and help with homework. Here they also have the opportunity to have a quality leisure time.

“Drop-in centres are safe places for children where they are able to feel that someone cares for their wellbeing. Children come to Drop-in centres voluntarily, to get a meal, meet their hygienic needs, but also to spend time playing with their peers,” stated Aida Bekic, Save the Children Child Protection Manager. “Special attention is directed towards the promotion of the drop-in centres work, with the aim of having local authorities and general public to see the benefits of existence of the centres, thus ensuring their long-term sustainability,” added Bekic.

Also, with support from Save the Children, Regional Network for Street Involved Children  has been established in 2010 by the governmental and non-governmental organisations and institutions working towards promotion of the rights of the street involved children and youth and improvement of quality of life and participation of all children and youth in the society.

On the occasion of marking of the International Day of Street Involved Children, member organisations of the Regional Network have planned a number of activities. Full list is available here.