Child Beggars

The future of every generation is a child. A child in his growth and development phase requires many things and has many desires that need to be fulfilled to make him feel that he is valued and can make his future bright and enlightening.

Every single person has some fundamental human rights which no one can deny. Every child has a right to have a happy childhood where he should get proper education, and all his human rights are being fulfilled, but when we talk about child beggars, they appear far from this happiness and peaceful life. Childhood is considered the wholesome phase of one’s life. Millions of street children are seen hither and thither who rush under streets, footpaths, shopping malls, and railway stations to ensure they have a safe place to sleep.

In developing countries such as Pakistan, India, and Africa, poverty has been an eminent issue since their independence. The poverty is mainly due to rising inflation, economic recession, and lack of implementation of providing basic necessities such as; education, health services, food, and shelter to middle and lower-level class people.

With respect to these reasons, child begging has always been witnessed in Pakistan. According to International Labor Organization (ILO), child begging is referred to as forced child labor in which children accompanied by professional mafias’ get taught to collect money from people.

Children are been used as they allow citizens emotionally, soft-hearted leading to help the leaders indirectly behind child beggars. Furthermore, these children are mainly seen in the busiest, commercial food streets or near shopping areas. Among many child beggars, there are only a few who seem to work hard to earn their living.

Once, I was having lunch outdoors with my friends; meanwhile, waiting for our ride, we encountered two child beggars. One child was selling some pens and disagreed when I offered him extra money. While the other tried to have money forcefully by grabbing our bags. After giving him the money, we later found her giving all the money to her elder lady.

As per research, the beggars are asked to pay rent of the reserved area for their begging purpose. Moreover, the heavy-eyed sleeping infants are given drugs and are booked by handless from the parents. Many children of lower-class income are abducted and kept in very grimy conditions where they are being taught the learning techniques for begging and are amputated to elude them from running away.

Anti-vagrancy of 1958 prohibits a child from receiving alms in public places or exhibiting wounds or deformities.

Recently, social welfare departments were in charge of picking up these child beggars and rehabilitating them. Those children were then sent to rehabilitation at Edhi Centre, where their handlers picked them up after paying penalties so they could restart their begging business.

The overall purpose of this deep discussion regarding the function of child beggars is to awaken our society to avoid further circumstances. Children are voiceless and weak unless they get enough education and confidence to speak up for their betterment.

Beggars result in an inferiority complex, lack of confidence, and loss of self-respect. In accordance with the world bank, poverty has remained at 39.2% during the year, which is not virtuous for our country. The highest the poverty ratio, the lesser the literacy rate, leading to more crimes and suicide attempts. With rising inflation, only education can help people to survive. Education helps to acquire jobs, business or even work through freelancing. Moreover, education enlightens people about helping others in need, sharing knowledge and following the right path. Being human beings, each and every person has the right to obtain basic necessities and improve their quality of life and peace to balance their both material and spiritual life.

Author: Areeza Amin