Advocates call for a ban on giving money to children begging in the streets

Child welfare advocates in Tanzania are calling for a ban on giving money to children who beg in the streets, arguing that the measure could help remove them from dangerous environments and place them in safer care.

The proposal was one of 10 recommendations submitted to the government on Saturday, September 5, during the Mtoto Run Fun charity walk and run at CCM Kirumba Stadium in Mwanza. More than 20 child-rights organizations joined religious leaders, education institutions, parents and young people in presenting the proposals.

Christopher Peter, representing the Network for Parenting, Care and Early Childhood Development, said the government and society should ensure that children living in difficult circumstances, especially those on the streets, are removed from those conditions and returned to safe care. He said communities should find proper ways to support them instead of enabling them to continue begging along roads.

The advocates also called for national coordination of parenting initiatives, saying common standards could reduce overlapping responsibilities and help ensure that resources produce better outcomes for children. They proposed incorporating parenting education into the national education system and encouraging communities to establish parenting groups that would help parents understand good childcare practices.

The recommendations stressed that children should grow up in environments that allow them to develop their talents and abilities, rather than receiving only basic necessities. The groups also urged the government to involve fathers and children more closely in designing and implementing parenting programs.

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The government and stakeholders must protect children living in difficult circumstances, and the government should adopt a resolution ensuring that all street children are removed from difficult conditions.