Research on street children in Kenya

Abstract

The present study has a fairly long history. One would argue that the origin of this study could be traced to the rise of the phenomenon of street children in Kenyan urban centres. However, the first real concern with this phenomenon dates back to the 1982 National Workshop on Child Labour in Kenya, sponsored by the World Health Organization. During this workshop, the issue of street children was discussed for the first time in a more organised manner (Onyango and Kayongo-Male, 1983). Although the discussions did not generate public interest as such, the Nairobi Provincial Children's Department, in conjunction with the Provincial Commissioner for Nairobi, constituted a committee to further discuss the problem of street children in Nairobi. Subsequently, the PC directed that a Task Force consisting of Key Ministries in Nairobi Province and major non-governmental organisations, such as Undugu Society of Kenya, be formed to study and write a position paper on the problem.