Girls make up almost half the street children in Mumbai, reveals survey

Local Press Co 5-point Snippet

1. Pratham, a Mumbai-based non-government organisation, conducted a survey targeting street children in the city and found out that 47 percent were girls. The volunteers surveyed 651 children aged 18 and younger at traffic signals, railway stations and tourist spots.

2. According to the NGO, girls make up almost half the street children in the city, the number which has increased tremendously in recent years.

3. “India’s worst drought in decades, which has displaced tens of thousands of people, may also be putting more children on the streets,” said Farida Lambay, director of the Pratham Council for Vulnerable Children.

4. Of the children surveyed by Pratham, half of them were found begging while the others were selling small items. A few were victims of substance abuse.

5. According to Lambay, surge in the number of girls living on city’s streets raises concerns about their vulnerability, as girl children are exposed to risks like trafficking and sexual abuse.