YOU ARE A CHILD. You are seven. You are one of millions of children who live and work on the streets of the world's cities. You ran away from home to escape violence. Now, on top of your daily struggle to survive, you have to contend with insults, beatings and sexual abuse, both on the streets and when you are frequently arrested and imprisoned.

YOU ARE A CHILD. You are nine. You ran away from home to stop your uncle from sexually abusing you. You live and work on the streets of Kenya where you are sexually abused again by the police.

You are thirteen. For months you have been locked in a prison cell after being arrested for begging in the Philippines .

You are seven. You have been picking through waste on a rubbish dump in India since 4 a.m. to earn enough money for today's food.

YOU ARE ONE OF MILLIONS of children who live and work on the streets of the world's cities. Nobody knows just how many street children there are since they move around, are difficult to count and are excluded from surveys. Some live with their families while working on the streets during the day or night. Others have run away from home and sleep on the streets alone or in groups. Those who run away have usually experienced physical, psychological or sexual violence at home. War, natural disasters, political upheaval, family breakdown and HIV/AIDS, combined with extreme poverty, are other factors pushing children onto the streets.

Violence is an everyday factor in the lives of street children. On top of their daily struggle to survive, they have to contend with beatings, insults and sexual abuse, both on the streets and when they are frequently arrested and imprisoned. In all countries, violence in the home and in schools (often under the excuse of ‘discipline') is a key reason for children running away from home to live on the streets. It is time that this hidden violence be exposed and condemned.

“They think every child who lives or makes a living in the streets is a bad child. I wish that our community and government would love us and guide us and not be ashamed of us.” [street child in the Philippines ]

YOU ARE A GIRL. YOU ARE A BOY You are poor, hungry, scared and ill. You are ignored, feared or despised. You run between cars selling water. You carry heavy loads at the market. You beg. You shine shoes. You sell your body, or others take it for free. You are beaten by older children, by the public and by the police. You sniff glue to stop feeling hungry. Sometimes you have to steal. You worry that your brothers and sisters will have to do the same. You have a group of friends on the street. You help each other. You are resourceful but tired. You survive - Most of the time.

WHO ARE STREET CHILDREN ? They are a very wide range of children who are homeless; work on the streets but sleep at home; either do or do not have family contact; work in open-air markets; live on the streets with their families; live in day or night shelters; spend a lot of time in institutions (e.g. prison). The term street children is used because it is short and widely understood. Some say it is negative that it labels and stigmatises children. Others say it gives them an identity and a sense of belonging. In reality, street children defy such convenient generalisations because each child is unique.

HOW MANY ARE THERE? Nobody knows. Estimates range from tens of millions to hundreds of millions. Street children are not easy to count because: they move around a lot, within and between cities; they are often excluded from statistic-friendly infrastructures (schools, households etc.). Definitions of street children are vague and differing. Numbers of street children have often been minimized to hide the problem, or exaggerated to sensationalise and victimise these children. Street children have the right to be accurately represented. City-level surveys conducted by local organisations and supported by a clear definition are more reliable. In many countries, there is evidence that numbers are increasing due to uncontrolled urbanisation linked to poverty, conflict, and children being orphaned by AIDS. Statistics estimate that the number of street children worldwide is well over 100 million. Regardless of the statistics, even one child on the streets is too many if their rights are being violated.

SEXUAL ABUSE. I have been a street girl since my father made a woman of me. I carry on in the world but I am really dead” (17-year-old girl in Thailand ). In general there are fewer girls than boys living on the streets, between 3% and 30% depending on the country. This is for several reasons. In many cultures, there is much greater pressure for girls to stay at home than boys. Research shows that girls will put up with abuse at home for longer than boys but that once girls make the decision to leave home, the rupture is more permanent. Girls are also less visible on the streets as they are often forced or lured into brothels. They are also extremely vulnerable to human rights abuses both on the street and when they are arrested. Street boys are also at risk of sexual abuse and exploitation.

WHERE ARE THEIR FAMILIES? Some street children are still in contact with their families (and/or extended families) and many of them work on the streets in order to contribute to their family's income. Those who do run away often do so because of physical, psychological and/or sexual violence or abuse at home. Family breakdown is also common in the case of re-marriage and problems with step-parents. Many projects try to reunify street children with their families. However, this is a complex and frustrating task that requires much specialised counselling to address the root causes of why the child ran away in the first place. In many cases, reunification with the family fails, or is not in the best interests of the child. In these cases alternatives such as fostering, group homes and residential centres are needed.

WHAT ABOUT THE AUTHORITIES? Ironically, street children are often at greatest risk of violence from those that are responsible to protect them the police and other authorities. Police often beat, harass, sexually assault and even torture street children. They may beat children for their money or demand payment for protection, to avoid false charges, or for release from custody. They may seek out girls to demand sex. For many street children, assaults and thefts by the police are a routine part of their lives. Some are even killed by police. Very rarely are those responsible brought to justice.

VICTIMS, VILLAINS OR HEROES? Many images and stories portray street children either as helpless victims, dangerous criminals or heroic survivors. The reality is usually somewhere in between. They show incredible resiliency and initiative in the face of desperate circumstances. They have to be resourceful and strong in order to survive. But some do not survive. Others can only do so by breaking the law. We should respect their individual stories and characteristics. Each child is unique.