International Day for Street Children – April 12

Key facts

• International Day for Street Children is observed annually on April 12.
• The day was launched in 2012.
• It was launched by Consortium for Street Children (CSC), a global alliance of more than 100 NGOs, researchers, activists and other stakeholders in 135 countries.
• There are about 150 million street‑connected children in the world.
• Main causes of children ending up on the streets include extreme poverty, political unrest and military conflict, domestic violence, physical, emotional or sexual abuse, mental health problems, substance abuse and cultural factors.
• The day aims to raise awareness of the plight of millions of children who depend on the streets for their survival and deserve care, protection and respect.
• It also recognises the hard work and dedication of people who work with street children to improve their lives.
• Ways to get involved include attending seminars, webinars or fundraisers, donating to or volunteering with organisations that help street children, petitioning governments to protect them, and spreading the word on social media using the hashtag #StreetChildrenDay.