UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund

ASSESSMENT OF POLICIES, SITUATION AND PROGRAMMES FOR CHILDREN ON THE STREETS IN MACEDONIA

(Study of the poorest of the poor) - Final version -

Author: professor Divna Lakinska, Ph.D

National Centre for Training in Social DevelopmentInstitute for Social Work and Social PolicyFaculty of Philosophy - Skopje________________________________________________________________________

Skopje, June 2005

CONTENTS Page.

Introduction 4

SECTION ONE POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES FOR PROTECTION OF CHILDREN ON THE STREETS 8

1. ANALYSIS OF THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK IN IN TERMS OF PROTECTION AND WELFARE OF SOCIALLY VULNERABLE CHILDREN, PRIMARILY CHILDREN ON THE STREETS 8

1.1. Law on Children’s Welfare 9

1.2. Law on Social Welfare 10

1.3. Law on Family 11

1.4. Law on Elementary Education 13

1.5. Law on Health Care 15

1.6. Law on Juvenile Justice 16

2. THE ROLE AND CAPACITIES OF THE GOVERNMENTAL AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS IN MACEDONIA FOR PROTECTION OF CHILDREN ON THE STREETS 182.1. The role of the governmental sector (services and institutions) in protection of children on the streets 182.2. The role and capacities of non-governmental sector in protection of children on the streets 21

3. GENERAL CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 23

3.1. Conceptual framework and basic features 23

3.2. Legal framework for protection of children on the streets 25

3.3. The role and capacity of governmental and non-governmental sector in protection of children on the streets 30

3.3.1. Governmental sector in the care for children on the streets 30

3.3.2. Non-governmental sector in the care for children on the streets 32

SECTION TWO

2

TYPICAL AND DOMINANT SITUATION AND PROBLEMS OF THE CHILDREN ON THE STREETS (RESEARCH) 35

1. METHODOLOGAL STRUCTURE 35

1.1. Problem to be addressed 351.2. Subject of research 351.3. Target group 371.4. Analysis of data from field research 371.4.1. Basic statistical data on the vulnerability of children on the streets 37

1.4.1.1. Characteristics related to the home of residence and mapping 47

1.4.1.2. Characteristics of the street life of the „children on the street” 63

1.4.1.3. Dreams and visions of the children on the streets 91

1.4.2. Analysis of the insights of professionals from the Centres for Social Work and non-governmental organisations into the situation and possibilities for improvement of the quality of social welfare of children on the streets 100

1.4.2.1. Models of work with children on the streets 102A) Existing models of work with children on the streets 102B) Desired models of work with children on the streets 1081.4.2.2. Forms of work with parents of children on the streets 109

1.4.3. General conclusions and recommendations from the field research 112

Appendices:

Appendix 1. Questionnaire for children on the streets 125

Appendix 2. Questionnaire for professionals from the Centres for Social Work and non-

governmental organisations 133

Appendix 3. References 137

Appendix 4. Maps of locations by place of living of children on the streets 138

3

Introduction

The transition process in the Republic of Macedonia in the past 10 to 15 years has

been mainly focused on evolution from planned to market economy, from one-party

system to pluralism as well as transformation from centralist organisation of the

government into local (municipal) government. All these changes have largely affected

the life and work of every member of society, with particular implication for adults who

are fit for work. With the privatization process of the social property, the bulk of

economic entities went into bankruptcy and their employees were either made redundant

or became workers of companies which went bankrupt. A small portion of this

impoverished population managed to find alternative sources of income by opening small

business or returning into the villages of their origin to produce agricultural and cattle

products to satisfy their basic family needs. The lack of organized education for

agricultural and cattle production coupled with the unattractive credit policies have

prevented them from entering into larger-scale businesses. Nonetheless, majority of the

population live in the cities (Skopje being the largest with 700,000 citizens). Socially

vulnerable families, for their part, live on social welfare, pensions from their parents and

from occasional and unregistered employment in the private sector, or, however, from

financial support from relatives living abroad.

The social-economic implications are equally affecting all layers of society

irrespective of the education or ethnic affiliation, although statistical data indicate that the

poorest are the ethnic Roma, followed by the ethnic Albanians, ethnic Macedonians and

other ethnic groups.

In their struggle for sheer survival and faced with almost no opportunities for

legal employment (although often for very small remuneration), the Roma and the rest of

the poor population are forced to seek and find their livelihoods on the streets, with

possibilities for attaining income in violation of the legal system.

There are several definitions for the phrase “children on the streets” which differ

from one state to the other depending on the basic features of poverty and the life and

activities of the children on the streets. Also, within the state, there are several categories

of children depending on ways of living and attaining their income.

4

In our country, professional services and experts have most frequently associated

the definition of children on the streets with the notion of “begging”, i.e. being on the

street for a certain number of hours, on public places, begging for money or food

products.

However, realistically speaking, this category of children is not the only one

which finds financial resources on the streets, but there are as well other groups of

children.

Therefore, in this study, we propose a broader definition of „children on the

streets” with the aim to gain real knowledge of this varied population group in the

Republic of Macedonia. The proposed definition is aimed primarily at finding solutions

and more adequate approaches in the treatment of children on the streets and their better

inclusion in society.

In proposing the definition for children on the streets, we have been led by

two basic criteria: 1) children on the streets spend most of their time outside of their

homes; and 2) children of school age are either not included in the educational

system or, if included, are not in regular attendance or exhibit poor results. Hence,

the phrase “children on the streets” will mean children from 0 to 18 years of age

who, either with their parents or alone, spend most of the time of the day on the

streets gaining resources by means of begging, provision of services to by-passers or

their vehicles, selling products they are oftentimes banned for sale, collecting paper,

old iron, food products and clothes from the waste containers. Children on the

streets fail to attend school or attend it irregularly without any success in the

studying. Some of the children on the street accompany their parents in seasonal

agricultural work and spend full seasons of the year outside of their place of living

and outside school.

The breadth of the definition is aimed to provide possibilities for identification of

forms for care for this category of children in all 84 municipalities in the Republic of

Macedonia, depending on the specifics of the category of children on the streets in each

municipality.

The proposed definition is primarily reflective of the scope of the category

„children on the streets” or „ children left on their own devices”, „the poorest of the

5

poor”, who, because of this situation, do not enjoy their human or children’s rights for

dignified living.

The common denominator of this category of children that was taken into account

in the definition of this group, is the fact that because of their being on the streets,

children fail to attend school or when they attend it, they do not fulfill their school tasks.

Also, it is presumed that the health condition of these children is jeopardized because

they spend more than 6 months out on the streets both in the winter and in summer

period, in extreme weather conditions, on the street “under the blue sky”, but also

because they tend to inhale poisonous gases from the passing vehicles.

The life on the streets decreases the possibility for family care and life in domestic

family environment.

This category of children is not unknown or not explored in the Republic of

Macedonia. However, realistically speaking, the fact that their number has not decreased,

but has continuously been raising has led to the conclusion that serious measures need to

be urgently taken and solutions sought for reduction and elimination of this negative

phenomenon and situation.

In this study, the approach is mainly to identify the basic obstacles which prevent

real and useful solutions for reduction of the number of children on the streets and

propose modern, adequate, acceptable and realistic directions and forms for social,

educational and health care of this category of children.

With the aim for this study to incorporate the basic parameters in seeking

solutions to this problem, the methodological approach will contain the following areas:

1) The starting point for this study is the research and analysis of the legal

framework in the Republic of Macedonia and the international documents which

guarantee the rights to dignified living of every child, which represents a real basis for

further steps in elimination of this phenomenon.

This step is followed by exploration of the role and capacity of the governmental

and non-governmental sector in terms of protection of children on the streets: a) with

analysis of the directions given in the documents relating to the Roma Decade (where

children on the streets are most represented category); b) possibilities and perspectives

for overcoming the vulnerability of this population; and c) forms, steps and documents

6

adopted and implemented by the Ministries, Centers for Social Work and non-

governmental organizations;

2) The second section of this study will analyse the results obtained with the

research of the typical and dominant situation relating to the children on the streets with

critical approach, conclusions, proposals and suggestions. This part will also include

mapping of locations by place of living and analysis of models and proposals for work

with children on the streets and their parents.

SECTION ONE

7

POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES FOR PROTECTION OF CHILDREN ON THE STREETS

1. ANALYSIS OF THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK IN THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA IN TERMS OF PROTECTION AND WELFARE OF SOCIALLY VULNERABLE CHILDREN, PRIMARILY CHILDREN ON THE STREETS

In our country, the care for socially vulnerable children, as one of the most

challenged social groups, has had a long tradition. However, it should be noted that in the

recent years, under the influence of the recommendations and decisions of the General

Assembly of the United Nations and the European social legislation, efforts have been

invested for preparation of new laws and regulations dealing specifically with this

category of children.

The basic laws in the Republic of Macedonia that regulate the rights of children

and the obligations of the state institutions, as well as of the non-governmental sector, the

private sector and the family, are the following:

1) Law on Children’s Welfare

2) Law on Social Welfare

3) Law on Family

4) Law on Elementary Education

5) Law on Health Care

6) Law on Juvenile Justice (procedure for adoption ongoing).

8

1.1. Law on Children’s Welfare

This Law was passed on 23 November 2000, with changes and amendments

adopted in 2003.

Although this Law provides for the system, organisation and manner of provision

of children’s welfare, it only sets the general basis of the rights for protection of all

children. It partially and superficially mentions also the rights of the socially challenged

children, in the most general sense of the word, by covering only four rights, as follows:

the right to children’s allowance for employed parents with low income, the right to

special allowance, the right to assistance in equipment for the first newborn of the mother

and the right to partial compensation of the costs related to care and upbringing, vacation

and recreation of children in public institutions and vacation resorts.

These rights do not include the right to free kindergarten services for children

from socially challenged families. However, Article 45 stipulates that the criteria for free

admission to kindergartens shall be determined by the Steering Committee of each

kindergarten. The proposal is that in the Law on Children’s Welfare more emphasis

should be placed on children from socially challenged families, as well as to encompass

larger number of children with the existing entitlements.

Article 2 of this Law sets forth that children’s welfare is an organized activity,

based on children’s rights, as well as the rights and duties of the parents and the state, for

family planning, securing conditions and standard of living suitable for the physical,

mental, emotional, moral and social development of children. The obligations of the state

are also mentioned in terms of creation of enabling conditions for human population

policies, provision of adequate financial assistance to parents, to the extent that state can

afford, raising, care and protection of children, as well as organization and ensuring of the

development of institutions and services for securing the welfare of children. Despite the

great significance of this Article for its reference to children from 0 to 15 years of age,

and, for some rights, up to completion of secondary school, it has to be pointed out that in

the past ten years these rights have only remained declarative. One of the reasons for that

is the lack of provisions to clarify the practical implementation of these rights in detail.

The proposal is for the legal experts in the institutions dealing with children’s welfare to

9

more effectively and more responsibly get involved in preparation of these very

important legal acts. The expectation is that the rights of the children on the streets, along

with the other categories of socially vulnerable children, should receive an adequate,

pragmatic and professional treatment in this Law.

1.2. Law on Social Welfare

The ligislative regulation of social welfare in the Republic of Macedonia

represents the basis for the socio-legislative regulation and has a long-standing tradition,

as compared with the other former socialist states of Central and Eastern Europe.

The Law was adopted in 1997, and was further amended and changed in 2000,

2003 and 2004. With those amendments and alterations, the legislators attempted to keep

up with the contemporary trends related to children’s welfare. Nonetheless, this law has

certain shortcomings, in terms of a more serious approach towards coverage of the rights

to welfare of “children on the streets ", among other things, in relation to cooperation

with courts, public prosecutor and the police, which may be adressed through preparation

of procedural protocols.

Also, the legal norms for the forms of social assistance stipulate that the bearers

are most frequently the parents, i.e. the family as a whole. Pursuant to Article 2, the

Government determines the network of public institutions for social welfare, while

Article 36 stipulates that the system of social welfare includes the public and private

institutions for social welfare. These approaches seem to have expanded the room for

action.

Article 8a of the amendments and changes to this Law envisages the possibility

for conducting actions relating to the social welfare by legal entities and natural persons.

Article 89 proposes that objectives and tasks of the NGOs should also include provision

of social welfare services for persons, families and groups of citizens exposed to social

risk. This Article provides the starting point for fulfillment of the obligations and needs

for direct forms of care for the “children on the streets”, as a specific category of children

at risk. In that respect, the new provisions of the Law of Social Welfare correspond to the

contemporary trends.

10

The Law on Social Welfare defines also the right to daily care of children on the

streets by means of receiving educational services, counseling work with children and

their families, cultural, entertainment and recreational activities.

This Law is substantially in compliance also with the role of social welfare in the

local self-government, including the groups at risk, first and foremost, the “children on

the streets”. The assumption is that risk groups at the local level will be for some time to

come protected and financed by the state budget as well as through NGO projects. Article

4 of the Law on Social Welfare, within its provisions relating to basic social risks, sets

forth that the social welfare represents an organized activity by the state. In that context,

this Law speaks of social challenges of the children on the streets within “the risks of

non-adaptation to the social environment and risks from unemployment and professional

non-adaptation.” The rights of the children on the streets are regulated with other acts as

well.

As regards the local self-government, adapted to the situation in each

municipality, it is absolutely necessary that municipalities be strengthened with staff and

other forms (governmental and non-governmental), which will work on creation of

further policies for work with „children on the streets” and direct procedures and forms of

alleviation and elimination of this negative social phenomenon. Of course, this type of

work should be reflective of the specific situation in each municipality.

1.3. Law on Family

This Law was adopted in 1992, while the changes and alternations of the Law

were passed in 2004. The Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia, as the highest legal

act, envisages societal protection of children and motherhood, whereby the Law on

Family represents further elaboration of the rights of children guaranteed by the

Constitution.

This Law regulates the relations in the family and refers to protection of the

interests of minors (Article 3). In that regard, parents are obliged to secure optimal

conditions for healthy growth and development of their children within the family and the

society (Article 5).

11

As regards the legal obligations of parents, Article 8 is important for the “children

on the street” because the last section stipulates that (under conditions provided for by the

Law), parental rights can be denied or limited. However, this Article does not specify

any options for assisting the process of empowerment of the family so that it can provide

care for the children. Rather, a number of articles (4, 5, 11 and almost the entire fifth

section - Tutelage) are dedicated to the role and responsibility of the state, the

professional services, the Centers for Social Work and other institutions entrusted with

welfare of children with no parents or parental care. Also, sections IV and V broadly

explicate the procedures in disputes after divorce, relating to tutoring, caring, bringing up

or financially supporting the children.

This Law is deficient in provisions that would aim to strengthen the family and

the family relations from every point of view, but primarily from the social and economic

aspects. This refers to the possibilities for semi-daily stay of the children in institutions,

as well as acceptance and support to the families by pre-school institutions by means of

provision of full meals, textbooks, technical devices and other benefits.

Article 14 of the Law on Family is also new (which supplements it with Article

90, by addition of paragraph 2). This Article defines the offenses representing abuse and

serious neglect of parental duties, but does not specifically refer to abuse of children on

the streets. However, the seven types of abuse “neglect” and other forms of violence

against children should include abuse of children on the streets by parents.

With the decentralization of competencies in the area of child protection, many of

the provisions contained in the Law objectively cannot be implemented at municipal

level. The reason for this is that in more than 50% of the municipalities, there are no

social institutions, although the Centre for Social Work, as social institution, is competent

for the territory of one or several municipalities, thus providing coverage for the whole

territory of R. Macedonia. The factual problem is the lack of appropriate work

organisation and sufficient number of professional workers who would be able to address

the needs in specific regions and in the domain of protection of children on the streets.

Therefore, we propose involvment of the existing municipal educational and health

institutions in activities for protection and empowerment of families, including also care

for responsible parenthood. Furthermore, municipalities should be supported in their

12

preparation of the local legislation in terms of ensuring that the regulations will be

mindful of the pragmatic, social and health aspects, (in line with the possibilities of the

municipalities), for care about the family and ensuring responsible parenthood.

1.4. Law on Elementary Education

This Law was published in 2002. This Law, with the basic provisions contained in

Article 3, stipulates that the elementary education is mandatory for children aged between

7 and 14 years. In practice, schools try to enrol all children from the community,

primarily in terms of commencement of the schooling process, i.e. enrolment in the first

grade of elementary school. These efforts are not only required by the legal regulations,

but also in times of continued drop in the birth rate, teachers attempt to enrol as many

children as possible in order to secure their jobs. However, problems tend to arise

subsequent to the formal enrolment of pupils in the first grade of elementary school.

Children on the streets, mostly of Roma ethnic origin, cannot speak the

Macedonian language when they start school because they use the Roma language at

home. Therefore, they need assistance to be able to learn the Macedonian language.

Neither the legal regulations nor the schooling practice envisage programmes for

preschool education of the Roma children. Within these programmes, the Macedonian

language could be instructed along with other types of preparations to facilitate the

inclusion of Roma children in the school activities.

The Law on Elementary Education fails to mention the need and the duty of the

elementary schools to keep prior records of the number and vulnerability of pupils, or

programmes for support in terms of textbooks and other devices, and even clothes which

could be collected on humanitarian-voluntary basis by pupils from higher grades. It is

helpful that this activity is somewhat covered by non-governmental organizations that

have been increasingly cooperating with the schools, including the pupils and teaching

staff members alike. However, it should be noted that their activities are not sustainable,

but are dependant on the specific projects that are implemented.

13

Additionally, professionals in schools need to be legally bound to cooperate with

the families, i.e. visit the homes of their pupils. In absence of social workers in the

educational system, this activity has been extremely neglected.

Article 25 stipulates that pupils in schools need to stay at least four hours a day,

which implies that they then need to study at home and write their homework for at least

another 3 to 4 hours. This represents serious effort not only for the pupils, but also for

their parents.

In absence of an obligation for communication with the parents of the children,

and also in view of the absence of penal provisions to sanction the lack of cooperation,

the contacts with the parents are rare and formal. This bears implications on the attitude

of the parents (especially of the vulnerable groups) in terms of their lack of interest in the

studies and school attendance of their children.

Article 48 lays down the requirement that parents should enrol their children in

school and they are also responsible for their children’s regular school attendance.

However, the disrespect of this Article oftentimes remains without any penal actions by

the school or the legislative bodies. The Law also does not sufficiently regulate the

relationship between the school and the parents. The new Law on Local Self-Government

provides for broader options for cooperation and cohesion between the parents, pupils

and the school in the area of education, not only in terms of provision of municipal

services, but also in terms of adoption of stimulating and pragmatic by-laws.

As regards the Law on Elementary Education, it is important to mention the

Article 52 according to which only pupils from villages further than 2 km away from

schools, have the right to lodging and food in dormitories or foster families. There is no

specific mention, however, of possibilities for accommodation in dormitories of pupils

coming from poor families.

Article 69 deals with types of professionals in the school, but fails to mention the

role of the social workers. The failure to recognise the role of the social workers

significantly hinders the professional social work with pupils, and has an impact on the

provision of social welfare for their families and the role of the social welfare institutions.

This jeopardises the rights of children, particularly children from socially vulnerable

groups, including children on the streets. Local self-governments should in the future

14

become more responsible towards this category of children, among other things, through

considering introduction of professional social work in the schools.

The Law on Elementary Education does not provide for direct cooperation with

the Daily Centres for Pupils, which in practice, is mostly taken care of by the non-

governmental sector. The Centres do work with teams of pedagogues, psychologists and

social workers. The Daily Centres, among other things, are supposed to assist the pupils

in studying and writing their homework. Also, non-governmental organisations, within

their project activities, have been assisting in establishment of direct cooperation between

the schools, daily centres and youth. We expect that, inter alia, this study will have an

impact on the professional bodies of the local self-administration to amend accordingly

the legal framework with provisions on the rights and obligations towards the children,

especially children on the territory of their specific municipalities.

1.5. Law on Health Care

The Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia, as the highest legal and political

act, guarantees the right to health care to every citizen (Constitution of the Republic of

Macedonia, Article 39).

The Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia sets forth that the state is obliged

to provide special care for mothers, children of juveniles and children without parents and

parental care.

The highest level of health care to children is guaranteed by the Convention of the

Rights of Children, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 20 November

1989. The Republic of Macedonia ratified the Convention in 1993, thereby making it an

integral part of the domestic legal system.

The provision of health care for children is regulated by the Law on Social

Welfare (Official Gazette of the R. Macedonia 50/97, 16/2000, 17/2003 and 65/2004), the

Law on Health Insurance (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia 25/2000,

34/2000, 96/2000, 104/2000, 30/01, 48/01, 50/01, 11/02 and the Law on Health Care

(Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia 38/91, 73/92, 46/93, 55/95, 17/97, 21/98,

9/2000, 25/2000).

15

The legal regulations also contain provisions on basis of which health care is

provided to persons at risk, i.e. those who have social welfare needs, including children

on the streets.

According to the Law on Health Insurance, Article 7, paragraph 7 and paragraph

9, compulsory health care should be provided to the following categories of people:

persons temporarily unemployed, while they receive financial compensation and the

unemployed persons registered in the Bureau for Employment (unless they have other

basis for insurance) such as beneficiaries of permanent financial assistance as well as

foster families, as per the social welfare regulations.

School age children have the right to full health care, while particularly important

are the physicals, health monitoring by means of regular check-ups and treatment of

pathological conditions.

Note: Following the information from UNICEF that the World Health

Organisation- Skopje Office will prepare a study, i.e. detailed analysis of the health

situation of the children on the street, this study will only briefly address the health

problems of children on the streets to avoid duplication.

%

We deem it important that within this study we make a brief overview and

analysis of the proposal Law on Juvenile Justice, as an instrument which in certain

aspects affects this category of children (I received the material as a member of the

working team for preparation of the Law on Juvenile Justice).

1.6. Law on Juvenile Justice

This Law contains provisions that describe, among other things, the treatment of

children at risk. The group at risk also incorporates children on the streets, i.e. „those who

live in such a family situation that would impede or fully obstruct the educational

function of the family or the child is not involved in the educational system and submits

to begging.” According to Article 15, the Centre for Social Work or a judge for juveniles,

should decide whether measures of assistance should be taken, on the basis of charges

(Article 17) pressed by state organs or citizens, charges by the police or the school, as

16

well as by families, the child or minor juvenile, when he/she is a victim of domestic or

other type of violence.”

Although, on one hand, this Law covers a broader range of categories at risk, yet

the various categories are most commonly treated with identical procedures and

measures. Therefore, it is difficult to understand what is most adequate, i.e. to define the

relevant procedures that should realistically be taken for each specific category.

The professional social work, but also the educational work with children on the

street, have their specifics that are primarily characterised with long-standing monitoring

and building of positive personal traits of children and family relations. However,

application of specific forms of care and methods of work is also needed, as this Law

does not provide sufficient and adequate room for action.

Although children on the streets are not specifically mentioned by such reference,

but are rather referred to as “children who beg” (“children who beg” are only one portion

of the children on the streets), clearly shows that this Law fails to provide for adequate

treatment of the children on the streets.

We believe that in a separate section of the Law or in another germane legal

manner, more attention should be paid to monitoring and treatment of children on the

streets, particularly in terms of recognition of the role of non-governmental organisations

that deal with this category of children through their projects and programmes.

At the end of the brief analysis of the legal regulations in the Republic of

Macedonia, in terms of the basic provisions relating to protection of children on the

streets, it can be surmised that apart from the apparent existence of this category of

children (for definition of many categories, precise evidence and materials are needed),

the legal framework is not clearly defined and is not particularly enabling either.

Therefore, WE PROPOSE that all abovementioned laws be amended with relevant by-

laws in order for this category of children to receive an adequate social-protective and

legal treatment. In addition, we propose that local level regulations should also be

mindful of this issue, not only in terms of the role of the state institutions and the non-

governmental sector, but equally in terms of empowerment of families to address this

issue.

17

Apart from the Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia and the aforementioned

and analysed laws pertaining to the treatment of the category „children on the streets”,

these children need to be treated by other laws and regulations. Macedonia is a signatory

of a large number of international documents for protection of the rights of the children.

In this study, the references include also the documents adopted by relevant bodies of the

United Nations, the Council of Europe, OSCE, and the National Strategy for Roma

Decade etc.

All these regulations and documents, together with the study, are aimed to explore

what actions have been so far taken in regards to the “children on the streets”, what else

is needed and how it should be translated into practice in order for this category of

children -- which is obviously and argumentatively present in the Republic of Macedonia

-- to decrease in numbers and be fully removed from the streets. This will be instrumental

in ensuring decent childhood and acceptable quality of family life for these children and

will help to them grow up in dignified individuals.

2. THE ROLE AND CAPACITIES OF THE GOVERNMENTAL AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS IN MACEDONIA FOR PROTECTION OF CHILDREN ON THE STREETS

2.1. The role of the governmental sector (services and institutions) in protection of children on the streets

One can conclude with certainty that in the time of former Yugoslavia, this

phenomenon (children on the streets) was manifested in a significantly lesser degree.

Factors were different, but one of the most significant agents was the active role of the

police and the social services in accommodation of these children in social-educational

institutions. In other words, the accommodation procedure used to be rather simple and

efficient.

With the transition process, changes took place, which could not but affect the

socio-economic standard of living. A large number of industrial facilities went bankrupt

while the lowest layers of society remained jobless and with no sources of alternative

income. A significant portion of the ethnic Macedonian and ethnic Albanian population

found their livelihoods in their villages of origin. However, this was not an option for the

18

Roma population. A large number of children on the streets, often entire families,

resorted to a quest for basic survival on the street. Some started selling various products

of suspicious origin and products banned on the market; some started offering certain

minor services on the streets, but most of all, people started seeking solution to problems

by succumbing into begging. At the same time, people also started begging in towns

other than their place of living because of the embarrassment to be possibly recognised.

Upon the completed “job” and with the gained “earnings”, they would return to their

places of living.

Although a large number of children from this category come from families who

are beneficiaries of financial assistance, yet, this amount cannot suffice for their basic

needs.

In this period, the institutions of social and educational work (11 Oktomvri,

Ranka Milanovic, 25 May and others) have faced lesser and poorer economic conditions

for quality care. On the other hand, the fact that Macedonia ratified a number of

declarations dealing with the rights of children, most of all, the right of the child to live

with its family, provided little ground for the police to more actively be involved in

addressing this negative social phenomenon.

Also, it should be pointed out that in the past ten years, street mafia has emerged

and has been operating on the streets by taking the children accommodated in social

institutions and misusing them for their own needs. The reason behind such actions lies in

the fact that due to their age, children cannot be criminally charged.

The process of de-institutionalisation and the fragile forms of its supplements also

led to diminishment of the organised care for this category of children.

However, in the past few years, the relevant ministries, induced by the

international documents and the related commitments, started acting in a more engaged

manner. Primarily, special services have been formed for undertaking adequate actions

for care for the children from socially challenged families of Roma origin and other

ethnic entities. The Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Labour and

Social Policy established departments, which are also mandated to deal with this issue. In

June 2003, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, its Sector for Social Welfare,

established a Department for Social Welfare and Protection of Socially Excluded

19

Children. The Department’s terms of reference envisage activities in social welfare and

care for children on the streets and their parents, as a separate group. At the same time, a

Department for Social Welfare of Socially Excluded Persons was established in the Inter-

municipal Centre for Social Work in Skopje.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, within its policies to tackle the issue of

social exclusion, prepared a programme for social inclusion, which covers separate

groups, including children on the streets. One segment of the programme envisages

establishment of daily centres for children on the streets, as a non-institutional form of

care. In the “Programme for Social Inclusion” of the Ministry of Labour and Social

Policy and “The Programme for Social Welfare” of the Government of the Republic of

Macedonia, the right to daily and temporary care of “children on the streets” is defined in

the category of socially excluded persons.

In the Ministry of Education and Science, an Administration for Development and

Advancement of Education on the Languages of the Members of the Communities has

been established and has been dealing with related activities and programmes.

The aforementioned services (departments) are staffed with competent

professionals who are committed to advancement of the legal framework and other

written documents, but also in terms of organising seminars and other activities. They

have also been directly cooperating with the beneficiaries of educational and social

services. We believe that the work in this direction will lead to implementation of

successful approaches, given that they are still at the very outset of their professional

careers. The support and advancement of the relevant services in the local community

should also strongly emerge among the competences, as the local governments should

grow into driving engines of the social work and social welfare of the population, thereby

not neglecting the educational and health needs.

From 2005-2015, entire Europe will be observing the Decade of Roma. The

Macedonian Government is the main bearer of the activities of the Roma Decade in the

country. The coordinator of the national inter-ministerial working group is the Ministry of

Labour and Social Policy. The working groups also include representatives from the

relevant Roma NGOs. The working groups have been tasked with preparation and

monitoring of the implementation of the action plans (4) envisaged by the Strategy for

20

Roma of the Republic of Macedonia. So far, four action plans have been prepared, as

follows: Action Plan for Employment; Action Plan for Health; Action Plan for Housing

and Action Plan for Education. The four Action Plans were officially promoted during

the launching of the Decade for Roma Inclusion on 8 April 2005 (Bibliographical data of

these documents are included in the references).

In December 2004, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, within the

organisational part of the activities of the Centres for Social Work, opened a Daily Centre

for children on the streets, aged 6 to 15 years (with a capacity to accommodate 20-30

children), as an organised unit of the Inter-municipal Centre for Social Work – Skopje.

The Inter-Municipal Centre for Social Work-Skopje registers and refers the children to

the Daily Centre with systemic linkages with the services at local level, in the area of

health, education, internal affairs, justice etc. In this institution, children spend one part of

the day; they feel safe and secure and receive a package of services. The services include

educational, psychosocial contents, health care, hygienic habits, sexual education,

motivation for studying and inclusion in the educational system. Parents of the children

are also encouraged to actively participate in the relevant programmes.

This model of care of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy is initial one and

we hope that on the basis of the experiences of this Centre, other centres will be

established in Skopje and other towns of the country.

2.2. The role and capacity of the non-governmental sector in protection of children on the streets

In the area of social welfare, the non-governmental sector does not have a long

tradition and experience in the Republic of Macedonia. In the socialist period, the Red

Cross and the Union of Women acted as volunteer humanitarian organisations, with

programmes financed by the state and volunteer activities of the citizens. Also, a large

number of professional associations were active, such as the Association of Social

Workers, Association of Pedagogues, Association of Psychologists and the like. Their

activities were financed by the state and were meant for professionals, i.e. professional

problems and programmes.

21

With the independence of the Republic of Macedonia, the non-governmental

organisations assumed a more active role as a second pillar in the direct care and

protection of the population in general, and the children in particular.

The development of the non-governmental sector in the Republic of Macedonia

essentially underwent two phases: the first being the spontaneous encouragement of

citizens to establish NGOs with definition of their role, most frequently funded by

international donors; and the second phase being the building of networks of NGOs with

specific programmatic goals and related professional activities.

An important feature of the NGOs involved in social programmes is that they

oftentimes distinguish themselves by applying an ethnic lens or a lens of the vulnerable

group of children and adults (NGOs for children with special needs, NGOs for drug

addicts, NGOs for support for Roma children etc).

The largest number of non-governmental organisations was established owing to

external donor funding. However, donor funding often meant that donors would

determine not only the title of the project, but oftentimes the contents and the regions for

implementation of project activities. The donor-driven agenda resulted into mushrooming

of NGOs, which was also seen as an opportunity for employment for young people and

professionals. Notwithstanding, with attendance of numerous courses aimed at

strengthening the NGOs and ensuring sustainability of their activities, a qualitative

nucleus of the NGO sector was created with potential pragmatic and meaningful future.

As regards “the children on the streets”, there are no specialised NGOs dealing

with programmes and projects for improving the quality of life of this category of

children. Nonetheless, a number of the NGOs targeting the Roma population, frequently

also target the children on the streets. Non-governmental organisations should also

become involved in implementation of programmes for children on the streets.

Since 1997 to today, more than 25 Roma NGOs have been registered and active in

the Republic of Macedonia. These NGOs have been implementing programmes aimed to

support and improve the life of Roma children (Drom, Daja, Dendo Vas, Darhija, Nadez -

Karitas, Esma, Mesecina, Kham, Romani Bah, Romani Asvin, Svetla idnina (Bright

Future), Ednakvost za site (Equality for All) and others).

22

In the municipality of Suto Orizari, within the framework of the project for re-

integration of Roma, the NGO Karitas from Esen (1993), established a Children’s Youth

Daily Centre, and implemented programmes for leisure time of children and youth who

due to the tight space at their homes, were out on the streets for most of the time of the

days. Upon completion of this project, the Centre has continued working actively by

implementing programmes for children and youth financed by foundations, embassies

and other donors.

Following the example of the Children’s/ Youth Centre, a number of Roma NGOs

from the Municipality of Suto Orizari as well as from the territory of Skopje (Dendo

Vas), but also in the towns throughout Macedonia (Kumanovo, Stip and other)

established daily centres which from one year to the other, with the increase of the

professional experience, have been working in a competent manner and have built a

specific model of care for the children on the streets as well as the Roma children in

general.

Shared and common difficulties in the work of these NGOs are: 1) lack of

premises for coverage of the entire population of children in need and 2) financial

sustainability of NGOs which is reduced to endurance from one project to the other. This

has an unfavourable impact on advance planning of activities. In that regard, it is

important to mention the need for greater involvement of parents. In other words, there is

a lack of projects that would target parents from socially challenged environments,

including the parents of children on the streets.

The group of vulnerable children is not reduced to Roma children only, but

increasingly and evidently includes children from ethnic Albanian and Macedonian

background who are mostly dealing with selling of items on the streets or performing

minor street services.

3. GENERAL CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

3.1. Conceptual framework and basic features

3.1.1. The scholarly and professional literature, as well as the documents of the

European and international organisations that are mandated with care for children, have

23

advanced a definition of the term “children on the streets” composed of basic

characteristics of this category of children, but also inclusive of the socio-economic

vulnerabilities, features and ways of survival on the street.

In the Republic of Macedonia, the use of the phrase “children on the streets” most

often implies children who beg (most frequently for money or food products), although in

reality, this category of children is not the only to be found on the streets. Therefore, in

this study, we propose a broader definition of “children on the streets” in order to

obtain realistic knowledge about this varied population group in the Republic of

Macedonia, which will be instrumental in seeking solutions for more adequate

approaches in the treatment of children on the streets and their broader inclusion in the

social life.

In proposing the definition for children on the streets, we have been led by two

basic criteria: 1) children on the streets spend most of their time outside of their homes;

and 2) children of school age are either not included in the educational system or, if

included, are not in regular attendance or exhibit poor results. Hence, the phrase “children

on the streets” will mean children from 0 to 18 years of age who, either with their parents

or alone, spend most of the time of the day on the streets gaining resources by means of

begging, provision of services to by-passers or their vehicles, selling products they are

oftentimes banned for sale, collecting paper, old iron, food products and clothes from the

waste containers. They struggle for minimum existential conditions, and are often

referred to as “the poorest of the poor children.” Children on the streets fail to attend

school or attend it irregularly without any success in the studying. Some of the children

on the street accompany their parents in seasonal agricultural work (for a daily fee of 100

MKD, or approximately 2$) and spend full seasons of the year outside of their place of

living; they sleep in improvised shelters and are out of school in that period of time

involved in agricultural activities: tobacco production, rice, fruits, gardening products and

the like.

Also, in our research, we met families who spend the winter months out of their

official places of living, in the most southern towns of the state, on the border with

Greece, in improvised shelters with nylon to warm up in the winter times. Children from

24

these settlements, in this time of the year, fail to go to school, but tend to beg on public

places in the surrounding towns.

3.1.2. Basic features of children on the street linked with the definition

1) They spend most of the time out and away from their parents’ homes;

2) They do not attend school, are periodically absent or attend with complete

irregularity;

3) They spend time on the streets, on public places; beg in other people’s houses

and apartments and at places where their parents perform seasonal works;

4) Goal- obtaining and gaining financial or material resources.

3.1.3. Types or categories of activities of the children on the streets

1) Begging for money, food, and clothes;

2) Reselling of items (serving as middlemen);

3) Performing minor services to by-passers or their vehicles;

4) Collection of food, paper, iron from waste containers and from the houses of

the citizens;

5) Accompanying and assisting the parents in their seasonal works.

One cannot make a sharp distinction among the categories of activities of

the children on the streets, as they are often involved in more than one of the

aforementioned categories. Their involvement depends on their judgment as to

how they can get access to resources or on the conditions that enable them to get

resources (weather, social, economic conditions, traditions/customs etc).

3.2. Legal framework for protection of children on the streets

3.2.1. Basic features

3.2.1.1.) Laws and regulations in the Republic of Macedonia are the point of

departure in terms of the welfare of the children on the streets and the process of

overcoming this social problem;

25

3.2.1.2.) Social welfare of families and children from socially challenged

population were part of the legal framework before and during the period of

transition, but, however, only with the adoption of the most recent legal

regulations, they became treated as a separate category of vulnerable children;

3.2.1.3.) The Republic of Macedonia has ratified and is a signatory of a number of

international documents related to the rights of children (UN, Council of Europe,

OSCE, World Bank);

3.2.1.4.) Apart from the Centres for Social Work and the social institutions, which

are in charge of alleviation of this problem, non-governmental organisations and

foundations also play an increasingly important role;

3.2.1.5.) Within the Government bodies, most of all, within the Ministry of

Labour and Social Policy and the Ministry of Education, services are being

established with special tasks relating to the Roma population, whose terms of

reference also include care for this category of children;

3.2.1.6.) The Roma Decade also envisages programmes for overcoming the

problem pertaining to the children on the streets (2005-2015).

3.2.1.7.) The Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, the Ministry of Health and the

Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Macedonia, started with

implementation (during 2005) of the national actions plans for housing,

employment, health and education.

3.2.2. Conclusions and recommendations directly linked with the existing legislation in the Republic of Macedonia

3.2.2.1. Law on Children’s Welfare

This Law guarantees the four fundamental rights related to children’s welfare: 1)

the right to children’s allowance, 2) the right to special allowance, 3) the right to

equipment for the first newborn child and 4) the right for children to utilise the

recreational resorts.

- The right of children to benefit from kindergarten care is conditioned with

financial compensation by the parents for that service. Whereas the formerly existing

legal framework stipulated the right to free kindergarten services for children to single

26

mothers and children to parents who are still students etc, this Law sets forth that the

criteria for free kindergarten services shall be determined by the specific Steering

Committee of each kindergarten. We therefore maintain that it will be difficult for the

kindergartens to cover children from poor families and single unemployed mothers.

- As regards the Law on Children’s Welfare, and the provisions relating to

kindergarten services, amendments should be proposed to allow for provision of

kindergarten services to the poorest children without any compensation. This refers

particularly to Roma children who would have the opportunity to learn the Macedonian

language in kindergarten (as they speak the Roma language at home) in a way of

preparation for elementary school.

- Concerning the welfare of pre-school children in local communities

(municipalities), the conclusion is that the Law does not provide enough space for action.

Therefore, it will remain an obligation of the municipal legal experts to deal with this

issue in the future.

3.2.2.2. Law on Social Welfare

- The Law on Social Welfare attempts to keep pace with the contemporary trends

relating to the socio-economic position of the population and be harmonized with the

European and world trends, requirements and rights. As a result, the Law has been

amended and changed nearly every year.

- It is important to put the accent on the fact that this Law opens opportunities for

legal involvement of the private and non-governmental sector and the relevant services

from the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy in monitoring and improvement of this

type of activities.

- The non-governmental sector has had a tradition of more than ten years in

provision of care for children, and in that respect has acted independently from this

Ministry. We find that more direct and better-organized approach in the work and

cooperation with the NGOs should be taken, especially at the level of the new local self-

government units.

27

- We propose that amendments are introduced with the aim to provide for: a)

better and more specific cooperation between the public prosecution, the courts and the

social services; b) introduction of mobile teams to work with children on the streets and

c) strengthening of the supervision of the parental rights.

3.2.2.3. Law on Family

- This Law regulates the relations within the family in respect to protection of

children. In several articles, the Law defines the obligations of the parents towards their

children, but also the obligations of the state and the state institutions towards the

children. However, little attention is paid to strengthening of the family in terms of care

for their children (provision of educational and financial assistance, social assistance etc),

as well as to the provisions for professional social work for strengthening of the family.

- The implementation of the new Law on Local Self-Government has been facing

difficulties due to the fact that more than 50% of the municipalities do not have

institutions for care of children, including children on the streets. Therefore, the

recommendation is for the existing educational and health institutions in the

municipalities to undertake legal competences for provision of adequate social protection

for this category of children and families (by way of working in professional teams).

3.2.2.4. Law on Elementary Education

- Although the Law on Elementary Education mandates all children from 7 to 14

years of age to regularly attend school, in practice, this right is not observed and measures

for correction are lacking. Children on the streets either do not attend school at all, or

attend it irregularly, which, in turn, poses an obstacle for their studying.

- For the Roma children, as the most vulnerable group of „children on the streets”,

there is no mandatory attendance in pre-school institutions, which would be beneficial in

their preparation for more successful studying and desiring to go to school.

- With the Law on Local Self-Government, the role of the municipal bodies in

undertaking various forms of better coverage of children on the streets, attendance in

28

school and success in studies increases. The legal framework needs to be amended to

provide for greater rights and obligations for elementary education for children at

municipal level (textbooks, clothing, daily care, meals, dormitories, bus tickets etc).

- The national and local legal framework should also be more enabling for the

non-governmental sector in terms of NGO support and assistance to “children on the

streets”, in their school and leisure activities alike.

- To encourage introduction of various forms for strengthening the cooperation

with the parents, primarily through their inclusion in programmes for professional social

work in the schools where a large number of children are socially vulnerable or are

already on the streets.

3.2.2.5. Law on Health Care

- The Law on Health Care guarantees the right to health care of children to 15, i.e.

18 years of age. In reality, health facilities (children’s and pupils’) are pressed with

administrative procedures and economic problems and are not so much responsive in

terms of provision of adequate health attention, treatment and care of the children of the

poorest layers of society whose parents are unemployed. Children on the streets, in case

of diseases, are not always adequately accepted by the closest health facility and

transported to their place of living.

3.2.2.6. Law on Juvenile Justice (under preparation)

- In addition to the other categories of children, this Law also recognises the

category of “children on the streets”. The Centers for Social Work are primarily

responsible for the procedures surrounding the care and treatment. This Law, however,

fails to differentiate clearly the role of the Centres and therefore needs to be amended to

better reflect this requirement.

- The procedure for detection, monitoring and treatment of this category of

children needs to be dealt with in a separate section of the Law.

29

- We propose that the regulations at local level also should foresee and put forward approaches for overcoming this issue.

3.3. The role and capacity of governmental and non-governmental sector in protection of children on the streets

3.3.1. Governmental sector in the care for children on the streets

- In the past few years, more specific actions were taken by the Government

sector in light of the Roma decade and the international documents relating to the

children’s rights. The efforts resulted also in adoption of a National Strategy for Roma

Population. The adoption of the Strategy, in turn, led to changes in the legal regulations,

especially in the Law on Social Welfare (2005) whereby certain provisions refer to social

welfare of children on the streets. This represents an encouragement for continuation of

the efforts for clearer legal framework for protection of this category of children,

(including forms of direct protection at local level).

- The "Programme for Social Inclusion” of the Ministry of Labour and Social

Policy and the “Programme for Social Welfare” of the Government of the Republic of

Macedonia also encompass courses of action for protection of the “children on the

streets.”

- The Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, the Ministry of Health and the

Ministry of Education established special departments (units, administrations), and

mandated them with protection and care for the children on the streets and their parents.

In 2005, within the Roma Decade, four Action Plans of the National Strategy for the

Roma in the Republic of Macedonia were prepared, as follows: Action Plan on Housing,

Action Plan on Health, Action Plan on Education and Action Plan on Employment.

(References to the Action Plans are presented in the literature review of this text). The

programmes have realistic goals, but they also necessitate serious and complex approach

in their implementation.

- In October 2001, the Institute for Social Activities of the Republic of Macedonia

submitted a report based on the empiric research in the Republic of Macedonia “Children

on the Streets - Street Children”, with concluding remarks and recommendations. The

materials of this publication contributed towards introduction of the issue of protection of

30

this category of children in the legal regulations, in the programmes of Centres for Social

Work and the services in the ministries. The direct treatment of these children was dealt

with also through the initiative for establishment of the Daily Centre for Children on the

Streets as an organized unit of the Inter-municipal Centre for Social Work in Skopje.

- With the adoption of the Law on Local Self-Government, a significant part of

the social activities is transferred in the competency of the municipalities. In 2005, to

support the process, the National Centre for Training in Social Development within the

Institute for Social Work and Social Policy, started with the preparations for delivery of

training to the municipalities on recognising the social problems at local level and

community outreach. The training was commissioned by the Community Development

Project – Project Office of the Ministry of Finance and World Bank, in cooperation with

the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy.

- Within the Centres for Social Work, there are no special units mandated to deal

with the children on the streets, except for Skopje (there is one Centre in Skopje and there

are chances for establishment of two additional centres). However, it should be pointed

out that in almost all existing Centres for Social Work, the care for this category of

children is covered from various aspects (units for financial assistance, units for

tutorship, units for children and youth). In the Centres for Social Work in the Republic of

Macedonia, where the work is performed on the basis of the territorial principle, social

workers are tasked to directly work on protection of this category of children.

Significant numbers of children coming from families who are beneficiaries of

financial assistance either beg or earn money by performing street services because the

financial assistance that hey receive does not suffice for their basic existential needs.

Moreover, a significant number of children on the streets come from families who

are not beneficiaries of social assistance (although they live in poverty), due to their

inability to provide the required documentation (a certificate for citizenship and a birth

certificate in most of the cases).

- The Units (services) for Tutelage undertake visits to multi-children families of

children on the streets and offer professional social assistance to the children and parents

in order to help them organise their basic existential life. If the effort fails, children are

31

then accommodated either in the orphanage „11 October” or the SOS village

(Kinderdorf).

Those children on the streets who violate the laws (while also lacking parental

care), are referred to the institutions for children with behavioural problems "25 May"

and "Ranka Milanovic". Notwithstanding, oftentimes the children who are

accommodated in these institutions spend some time of the day on the streets begging, or

totally abandon the institution and return to their families. In addition, these children may

become victims of the mafia who abuse and traffic them.

- With the strengthening of the local communities, and within the new

competencies, the local self-government should more directly and more actively create

conditions and forms for more adequate social welfare by organising patronage social

services, mobile teams, counselling services etc.

- Within the process of de-institutionalisation in our country, and viewed from a

pragmatic point of view, more consideration should be given to the options for

accommodating the children in foster families with foster parents and professional teams

(social workers, pedagogues, psychologists, defectologists etc), i.e. to establish an agency

for professional foster families (1-2 children in families of professionals, who would

receive compensation for their involvement).

- It would also be positive if the professionals from the Centres for Social Work

developed programmes for direct social-pedagogical work with parents, and parents and

children (primarily with educational contents, but also with active monitoring and

inclusion in their daily lives).

3.3.2. Non-governmental sector in the care for children on the streets

- The non-governmental sector in the Republic of Macedonia, as the second pillar

in provision of social welfare, is in its infancy. This sector has been gradually developing

and improving the quality of its activities during the past 10-15 years. Nonetheless, the

new Law on Local Self-Government provides for even broader and more pragmatic

opportunities for the civil sector for their direct involvement with all categories of

vulnerable population, including the children on the streets.

32

- The care and protection of the children on the streets refers to children of all

ethnic backgrounds in the Republic of Macedonia. However, the experience shows that

Roma children are largely affected. To respond to this situation, most of the Roma NGOs

have been implementing projects and programmes, which also deal with the children on

the streets. Admittedly, the number of NGOs involved in activities with the Roma

population is quite large, and it frequently happens that several such organisations would

be active in one and the same Roma settlement, working independently one from the

other. However, the networking of NGOs is indeed taking place, with the expectation that

they will join efforts to address this issue (this process should be supported and

strengthened).

- Furthermore, the educational and professional level of the personnel

implementing the projects and programmes in the non-governmental sector with Roma or

primarily Roma target groups was initially at lower level. However, the professionalism

in this sector has been improving in time and has been demonstrating an ever better

quality of work. These trends should also be supported and advanced.

- The next important aspect of the work of the NGO sector is the issue of their

financial sustainability once the funds provided by foundations and donors cease.

Projects and programmes with limited duration are implemented to then only make a

break of several months or years. The work continues once additional donor funds are

mobilised, which oftentimes has an impact on the contents of the programmes and

activities. In this context, this fragile, but very important form of social protection cannot

set more secure and strategic perspectives of the work.

- With the amendments to the Law on Social Welfare, more possibilities for work

of the successful NGOs are opened, which would also enable continuity of the work. The

proposal is for the institutions of the local self-government to support the development of

this very important activity.

- With the process of establishment of professional chambers and licensing of the

professional qualifications, the basic presumption for better quality of work is being met.

- In the Republic of Macedonia, a large number of NGOs have been implementing

projects or programmes for the poorest categories, the Roma population, but not with

major emphasis on children on the streets. Thus, the recommendation is to support the

33

NGO sector with projects, programmes and professionals in order to empower them to

develop various forms of direct work with all categories of children on the streets.

- The recommendation is also to support the NGO sector in terms of acquiring and

owning adequate premises for work with these categories of children (well-constructed

houses, montage houses, or even tents to serve as daily shelters and centres), in the close

vicinity of the daily stay or to the place of living of the children on the streets.

34

SECTION TWOTYPICAL AND DOMINANT SITUATION AND PROBLEMS OF THE CHILDREN

ON THE STREETS (RESEARCH)

The second part of this study deals with a specifically designed research targeting

the children on the streets in the Republic of Macedonia. It consists of two parts: research

(questionnaire with an interview and observation) of the children on the streets and

research (questionnaire with interview) with professionals (from governmental and non-

governmental institutions and organisations) who work with these children.

1. METHODOLOGICAL STRUCTURE 1.1. Problem to be addressed

The social phenomenon of children on the streets is not typical only for the

contemporary trends in our society. This phenomenon did exist in the period of socialism

and even earlier. However, it appears that the phenomenon has become an ever more

present and expanded despite the large number of projects implemented by the non-

governmental sector to address this negative social occurrence.

Also, research has been undertaken to examine this phenomenon, not only from

the point of view of the children on the streets, but also in consideration of the life of the

most vulnerable groups of population.

Nonetheless, the conclusion remains that this phenomenon has not been

sufficiently explored as yet.

1.2. Subject of research

The study takes a broader approach in examining the problem of the children on

the streets and it builds on the research of the existence and treatment of this category of

children in the legal acts, as a basis for direct social welfare.

The research focuses on direct examination of the features and conditions of life

of the children on the streets, including mapping of locations (by a place of living). The

life on the streets is examined as their second home, together with analysis of their

dreams and visions.

35

Special part of the research is dedicated to analysis of the situation and the

chances for improvement of the social welfare of the children on the streets, on the basis

of direct information and statements given by the professionals from the Centres for

Social Work and the NGOs.

The knowledge gained contributed to defining of the existing models of work

with children on the streets and proposing desired models and forms of work with

children and parents.

Data was gathered by experienced researchers (18 researchers involved in direct

professional work with children on the street from the Centres for Social Work and the

non-governmental sector) from 14 towns from the Republic of Macedonia (on the

principle East, West, North, South) including Skopje with 8 municipalities: Kisela Voda,

Gazi Baba, Suto Orizari, G. Petrov, Karpos, Saraj, Cair and Centar), with an interview on

the places of daily stay, questionnaire and visit to their primary places of living. We

expect the data to be instrumental not only in the procedure for identification of all

children on the streets, but in identifying the new problems and advancing proposals and

solutions for alleviation or elimination of this challenge of the young generation.

Children on the streets as a target group are taken in a broader sense of the word,

i.e. those who spend most of the time of the day on the street, far from their homes, in

order to gain financial means for satisfying their basic existential needs. By applying this

criterion, the children on the streets were divided into three categories: children who beg,

children who perform services (primarily on vehicles) and children who sell items, which

are oftentimes banned on the market.

The data obtained are presented in 32 tables and graphic presentations, which

contribute for more illustrative explication and analysis of data.

Each Chapter is followed by analysis of data, elaboration of the problem and the

phenomenon, i.e. its major features (indicators) and contains proposals for possible

solutions.

36

1.3. Target group

The research covers 500 "children on the streets" from 14 towns of the R.

Macedonia, including eight municipalities in Skopje, where their presence on public

places and streets is evident. Children on the streets were surveyed in 4 towns of the north

region of the R. Macedonia (Kumanovo, Tetovo, Gostivar and Veles), four towns from

the south (Bitola, Prilep, Gevgelija and Strumica), one town in the West part (Struga)

and four towns in the Eastern part (Delcevo, Stip, Sv. Nikole and Kocani), depending on

the information on the size of the settlements with the poorest population and Roma

settlements.

The starting point for the selection of the target group was the information on the

number of children on the streets contained in the Report from the Empirical Research

"Children on the Street - Street Children in the R. Macedonia”, conducted in October

2001 by the Institute for Social Activities. According to this Report, the Centres for

Social Work in the towns of the R. Macedonia (28), reported that they “detected” 1,022

children before the commencement of the research. In this research, we opted for a

representative sample of 14 towns in the Republic of Macedonia, 500 children, which is

basically 100% of the total number of children on the streets in the selected towns, and

approximately 50% of the “detected” children in the R.Macedonia.

The research covers all children on the streets in the selected towns who during

the last two weeks of November and the beginning of December 2004 were met on the

streets while performing their activities.

1.4. Analysis of data from field research

1.4.1. Basic statistical data on the vulnerability of the children on the streets

The analysis of the basic statistical indicators of the children on the streets

includes the following indicators:

- Number of children on the streets by category and towns;

- Number of children on the streets by category, sex and age;

- Place of birth of the children, by categories;

37

- Number of children by ethnic background;

- Health condition of the children by sex, age and category.

The number of children on the streets by towns and categories of activities is

presented in Table No. 1. For better visibility, the Graphic presentation 1a) presents the

children from the municipalities in Skopje and the Graphic presentation 1b) shows the

children in other towns.

The value of 100% refers to every town separately, in order to examine the

situation in each town. Based on such analysis, solutions to the most topical problems are

proposed.

Table 1. Children on streets by towns and categories (in numbers and percentages)

TownsCategory of children Total:

Children who beg

Children in street services

Children in the black market

Skopje 88(49%) 22(12%) 70(39%) 180-K.Voda 10(55%) 3(17%) 5(28%) 18-Gorce Petrov 18(67%) 2(7%) 7(26%) 27-Saraj 3(16%) 4(21%) 12(63%) 19-Karposh 5(24%) 2(9%) 14(67%) 21-Sh.Orizari 22(67%) 3(9%) 8(24%) 33-Centar 19(63%) 4(13%) 7(23%) 30-Gazi Baba 9(45%) 3(15%) 8(40%) 20-Chair 2(17%) 1(8%) 9(75%) 12Kumanovo 10(33%) 10(33%) 10(34%) 30Tetovo 10(42%) 6(25%) 8(33%) 24Delchevo 7(48%) 4(26%) 4(26%) 15Shtip 21(58%) 5(14%) 10(28%) 36Gostivar 22(99%) 0% 1(1%) 23Bitola 15(50%) 8(27%) 7(23%) 30Prilep 20(50%) 10(25%) 10(25%) 40Gevgelija 17(53%) 7(22%) 8(25%) 32Sv.Nikole 4(25%) 4(25%) 8(50%) 16Strumica 15(50%) 10(33%) 5(17%) 30Veles 8(33%) 10(42%) 6(25%) 24Kochani 3(33%) 3(33%) 3(34%) 9Struga 4(36%) 3(28%) 4(36%) 11Total: 244 102 154 500

38

Graphic presentation 1a) Number of children on the streets – Skopje

Largest number of children on the streets was interviewed on the territory of

Skopje. Of them, 49% are children who beg. Given that significant portions of the

children who perform services (washing the windshields of the cars, for example), at the

same time also beg, the percentage in this category is presumably higher. In Skopje, a

large number of children 39% sell items on the streets (cigarettes, minor items). These

products are not taxed or are banned on the market. As regards other towns, Skopje is the

city hosting most of the children on the streets who beg or perform minor services. There

are also many of them who sell on the grey (black) market, which implies that they are

dependent on organised groups of re-sellers (middlemen).

As regards Skopje, the largest numbers of children who beg come from the

municipalities of Suto Orizari, Centar (Topaana) and Gjorce Petrov. In these

municipalities, the largest Roma settlements are located, where most of the population is

poor.

39

10

3

5

18

2

7

34

12

5

2

14

22

3

8

19

4

7

9

3

8

21

9

0

5

10

15

20

25

Number of

children

K.Voda G.Petrov Saraj Karposh Sh.Orizari Centar G.Baba Chair

Municipality

Number of children in the steets- Skopje -

Children who beg Children in thestreet services

Children in the blackmarket

Graphic presentation 1b) Number of children on the streets in the Republic of Macedonia

In other towns as well the category of begging and performing services is most

present, primarily in the towns of Gostivar, Stip, Prilep. Some of the children on the

streets from Gostivar, according to the data obtained, do not live in the same town, but

come to Gostivar only on the market days, hoping to financially benefit from the Muslim

custom of giving money called "sadaka". They do not stay overnight in the town, but

usually would return to their towns later in the afternoon. To them, the towns of Kicevo

and Debar are more remote destinations and thus they would rarely head in that direction.

As regards the sex and age, data from the entire population of children on the

streets, by categories, are presented in Table No. 2 and Graphic presentations 2a) and 2b).

88

22

70

101010 1068 7

44

21

510

22

01

15

87

20

1010

17

7 8 4 48151058106 3 3 3 4 3 4

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Number of

children

Skopje

Kumanovo

Tetovo

Delchevo

ShipGostivar Bitol

aPrilep

Gevgelija

Sv.Nikole

Strumica Veles

Kochani

Struga

Towns

Nuber of children on thestreets

Children who beg Children in street servicesChildren in the black market

40

Table No. 2 Number of children on the streets by category of children, sex

and ageAge and sex Category of children on the streets Total:

Children who beg

Children in street services

Children in the black market

MALE

0-6 years 33(83%) 2(5%) 5(12%) 40

7-10 y. 40(60%) 8(13%) 18(27%) 66

11-14 y. 53(40%) 37(28%) 41(32%) 131

15-18 y. 19(18%) 25(24%) 60(58%) 104

FEMALE

0-6 years 21(80%) 2(8%) 3(12%) 26

7-10 y. 30(70%) 5(12%) 8(18%) 43

11-14 y. 40(62%) 13(20%) 12(18%) 65

15-18 y. 8(32%) 10(40%) 7(28%) 25

Total: 244(49%) 102(20%) 154(31%) 500

Graphic presentation 2a) Number of children on the streets by category of children, age- male (boys)

Data from the tables indicate that the largest number of children are male aged

between 11 and 18 years who gain material (financial) resources, but most of all those

aged between 11 and 14 beg or are involved in the grey (black) market 58%.

33

25

40

8

18

53

3741

19

25

60

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Number of children

0-6 y.

7-10 y.

11-14 y.

15-18 y.Age

Number of children on the street s - male

-

Children who beg Children in street services Children in theblack market

41

Graphic presentation 2b) Number of children on the streets by category of children, age-female (girls)

Older children sometimes start begging, but later on join the network of re-sellers.

Therefore, we maintain that the most vulnerable group of boys is the group of children

aged between 11 and 14, which inevitably requires undertaking of adequate measures for

this age group, not only in terms of the need for them to attend school, but also to be

involved in organised activities in their leisure time. As for the girls, also the most

vulnerable age group is the one ranging from 11 to 14 years, although the number of girls

is significantly lower, primarily in relation to the re-selling business on the grey market.

The place of birth of the children is often also the place of living, as the

„poorest of the poor” are usually beneficiaries of social assistance and as such are

reluctant to move (because of the requirement to submit related documents and the fact

that they would know better the institutions which they should address). Another reason

behind this is that it is difficult for them to move and accept the life in any new

environment. Hence, it is easier for them to move on a daily basis or only on market days

in towns out of their place of birth and living, where they would expect better mobility.

Sometimes the selection of the town is based on their knowledge of the religious customs,

i.e. they move to town where they would expect people to be more generous. (Table and

Graphic presentation No. 3).

21

2 3

30

58

40

13 128 10

7

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Number ofchildren

0-6 y.

7-10 y. 11-14 y.

15-18 y.Age

Number of children on the streets

- female -

Children who beg Children in street services Children in the black market

42

Table 3. Place of birth of children by towns and categories of children Towns Place of birth

Total:Children who beg Children in Street services Children in the black market

a) born in the town

b) in another town in

RM

v) in Kosovo

a) born in the town

b) in another town in

RM

v) in Koso

vo

a) born in the town

b) in another town in

RM

v) in Kosovo

Skopje 83 94% 2 2%

34%

1986%

29%

15%

6390%

23%

57%

180

Kumanovo 660%

440%

10100%

/ / 10100%

/ / 30

Tetovo 550%

220%

330%

660%

/ / 8100%

/ / 24

Delchevo 571%

229%

/ 375%

125%

/ 375%

125%

/ 15

Shtip 1886%

314%

/ 480%

120%

/ 990%

110%

/ 36

Gostivar 1777%

523%

/ / / / 1100%

/ / 23

Bitola 15100%

/ / 8100%

/ / 7100%

/ / 30

Prilep 1995%

15%

/ 10100%

/ / 10100%

/ / 40

Gevgelija / 17100%

/ / 7100%

/ / 8100%

/ 32

Sv. Nikole 375%

125%

/ 125%

375%

/ 225%

675%

/ 16

Strumica 15100%

/ / 990%

110%

/ 5100%

/ / 30

Veles 8100%

/ / 990%

10% / 583%

117%

/ 24

Kochani 3100%

/ / 3100%

/ / 100% / / 9

Struga 250%

250%

/ 133%

267%

/ 4100%

/ / 11

Total: 19982%

3916%

62%

8381%

1818%

11%

13085%

1912%

53%

500

Graphic presentation 3a) Place of birth of children by towns and categories of children

43

Graphic presentation 3b) Place of birth of children by towns and categories of children

Graphic presentation 3c) Place of birth of children by towns and categories of children

83

236410

523

52 0

18

3 0

17

50

15

00

19

1 0 0

17

03 1 0

15

0 0

8

003 0 0

2 20

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Number of children

Skopje

Kumanovo

Tetovo

Delchevo Shtip

Gostivar Bitol

aPrilep

Gevgelija

Sv. Nikole

Strumica Veles

Kochani Strug

a

Place of birth

Children who beg

a) born in the cityb) in another city in RMv) in Kosovo

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Number of children

Skopje

Kumanovo Teto

voDelchevo Shtip

Gostivar Bitol

aPrilep

Gevgelija

Sv. Nikole

Strumica Veles Koch

ani Struga

Place of birth

Children in street services

born in the city in another city in RM in Kosovo

44

The reference to children on the streets (children who beg) in the professional

discussions thus far has meant predominantly children of Roma ethnic origin. However,

the pressing socio-economic situation and the impoverishment of the population have

induced children from almost all ethnic groups to seek basic means of existence on the

streets. The research has shown that the largest number of Roma children beg (54%),

while most of the ethnic Albanian children re-sell products banned on the market or not-

taxed. As for children who beg, Roma children are followed by ethnic Macedonian and

Turkish children, who are much less in number as compared to the Roma children (5.6%

and 4.8%). The number of Macedonian Muslim children is the lowest (1.2%).

Table No. 4. Number of children by ethnic affiliation and category of children (in numbers and percentages by ethnic affiliation)

Ethnic affiliation Category of childrenTotal:Children

who begChildren on

Street services

Children n the black market

Roma 214(54%) 81(21%) 99(25%) 394Albanian 1(2%) 6(12%) 41(86%) 48

Macedonian 13(47%) 7(25%) 8(28%) 28Turks 11(46%) 8(34%) 5(20%) 24

Macedonian Muslim 5(84%) 0% 1(16%) 6Total: 244(49%) 102(20%) 154(31%) 500

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Number ofchildren

Skopje

Kumanovo

Tetovo

Delchevo Shtip

Gostivar

Bitola

Prilep

Gevgelija

Sv. Nikole

Strumica Ve

les

Kochani

Struga

Place of birth

Children in the black market

born in the city in another city in RM in Kosovo

45

Graphic presentation No. 4 Number of children by ethnic affiliation and category of children

These data indicate that apart from the Roma, children from almost all ethnic

groups seek their livelihoods on the streets, which means that programmatic interventions

for removal of the children from the streets should be aimed for all children, irrespective

of their ethnic affiliation.

The health condition of the children on the streets has not been diagnosed on the

basis of a medical certificate, but on the basis of the knowledge and notes from the

surveyors (professionally dealing with this category of children). The most frequent

indicators for the health situation of the children on the streets are presented in Table No.

5. High percentage of children suffer from respiratory diseases equally including those

who beg and those who perform services. In addition, there is noticeable presence of

dermatological diseases. This suggests that there is a need for undertaking specialised

health programmes for control and care of the health condition of the children on the

streets in the daily centres for children.

(Note: UNICEF, which commissioned this study, informed us that a study of the

health condition of children on the streets is simultaneously being prepared by the World

Health organisation in R. Macedonia. Hence, we narrowed our focus in this regard).

214

8199

1 6

41

137 8 11 8 5 5

0 10

50

100

150

200

250

Number of children

Roma Albanian Macedonian Turks Macedonian muslim

Ethnic affiliation

Number of children per ethnic affiliation

Children who beg Children in street services

Children in the black market

46

This research only reinforces the needs for taking a more serious approach

towards examining the health condition of the children on the streets by the relevant

professional services.

Table 5. Health condition of the children by sex, age and category of

childrenCategory, sex and age Health condition Total

a)Skin diseases

b)Respiratory diseases

c)Other

BEGGING

M 0-6 y. 2(50%) 0% 2(50%) 47-10 0% 4(50%) 4(50%) 811-14 4(67%) 1(17%) 1(17%) 615-18 1(25%) 0% 3(75%) 4

F 0-6 y. 3(60%) 2(40%) 0%/ 57-10 1(14%) 4(57%) 2(29%) 711-14 0% 3(100%) 0% 3

15-18 1(100%) 0% 0% 1

SERVICES

M 0-6 y. 2(100%) 0% 0% 27-10 1(20%) 3(60%) 1(20%) 511-14 1(14%) 4(57%) 2(29%) 715-18 0% 2(100%) 0% 2

F 0-6 y. 0% 0% 0% /7-10 0% 1(100%) 0% 111-14 0% 1(100%) 0% 115-18 2(100%) 0% 0% 2

BLACK MARKETING

M 0-6 y. 0% 0% 0% /7-10 0% 0% 0% /11-14 1(25%) 1(25%) 2(50%) 415-18 2(20%) 6(60%) 2(20%) 10

F 0-6 y. 0% 0% 0% /7-10 0% 1(100%) 0% 111-14 0% 1(100%) 0% 1

15-18 0% 1(100%) 0% 1

Total: 21(28%) 35(47%) 19(25%) 75

1.4.1.1. Characteristics related to the home of residence and mapping

1.4.1.1.1. Analysis of the characteristics related to the home of residence of the

children on the streets

Analysis of the features of the place of living of the children on the streets with

mapping of the settlements contains the following indicators:

47

- Housing conditions of the children on the streets (by categories of children and

towns);

- Number of housing premises by categories of children and towns;

- Parental composition by categories of children;

- Number of family members by categories of children;

- Education of children on the streets by number and age;

- Attendance in school by children on the streets;

- Obstacles in regular attendance of school.

Table 6. Housing conditions in which the children live by categories and towns (by towns, by numbers and in percentages for all children)

TownsHousing conditions

Total:a) improvised houses b) dilapidated houses v) house/apartment Children who beg

Children in street services

Children in the black

market

Children who beg

Children in street services

Children in the black

market

Children who

beg

Children in street services

Children in the black

marketSkopje 23

(13%)7(4%) 0% 65(35,5

%)14(8%) 47(26%) 0% 1(0,5%) 23(13%) 180

Kumanovo 2(6%) 0% 0% 8(27%) 10(34%) 8(27%) 0% 0% 2(6%) 30Tetovo 9(38%) 1(4%) 0% 1(4%) 5(21%) 2(8%) 0% 0% 6(25%) 24Delchevo 0% 1(7%) 0% 6(40%) 3(20%) 2(13%) 1(7%) 0% 2(13%) 15Shtip 18(50%) 3(8%) 4(11%) 3(8%) 2(6%) 6(17%) 0% 0% 0% 36Gostivar 6(26%) 0% 0% 14(61%) 0% 0% 2(9%) (0%) 1(4%) 23Bitola 4(13%) 3(10%) 1(3%) 11(37%) 5(17%) 4(13%) 0% 0% 2(7%) 30Prilep 0% 5(12,5%) 0% 20(50%) 5(12,5%) 10(25%) 0% 0% 0% 40Gevgelija 10(31%) 4(12%) 8(25%) 7(22%) 3(10%) 0% 0% 0% 0% 32Sv.Nikole 0% 0% 0% 4(25%) 4(25%) 8(50%) 0% 0% 0% 16Strumica 5(17%) 0% 0% 10(33%) 10(33%) 5(17%) 0% 0% 0% 30Veles 0% 1(4%) 0% 8(34%) 7(29%) 6(25%) 0% 2(8%) 0% 24Kochani 0% 0% 0% 2(22%) 2(22%) 2(22%) 1(11%) 1(11%) 1(11%) 9Struga 3(27%) 0% 0% 1(10%) 3(27%) 2(18%) 0% 0% 2(18%) 11Total: 80(16%) 25(5%) 13(2%) 160(32

%)73(15%) 102(20%) 4(1%) 4(1%) 39(8%) 500

Graphic presentation 6a. Housing conditions in which the children live by categories and towns

48

Graphic presentation 6b. Housing conditions in which the children live by categories and towns

Graphic presentation 6c. Housing conditions in which the children live by categories and towns

23

65

028

0

9

10 061

18

30

6

14

2 4

11

0 0

20

0

107

0 040510

0 0

8

0 02 131 0

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Towns

Housing conditions of children - Children who beg -

improvised houses dilapidated houseshouse /apartment

Num

ber

of

child

ren

Sko

pje

Kum

anov

o

Tet

ovo

D

elch

evo

Sht

ip

G

ostiv

ar

Bito

la

Pr

ilep

G

evge

lija

Sv.

Nik

ole

S

trum

ica

Ve

les

K

ocha

ni

Stru

ga

7

14

10

10

01

5

0

1

3

0

3

2

0 0 00

3

5

0

5 5

0

4

3

0 0

4

0 0

10

01

7

2

0

2

10

3

00

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Towns

Housing conditions of children- Children in street services

-

improvised house dilapided house house /apartment

Num

ber

of

child

ren

Sko

pje

Kum

anov

o

Te

tovo

D

elch

evo

Shtip

G

ostiv

ar

Bito

la

P

rilep

G

evge

lija

Sv.

Nik

ole

S

trum

ica

Vel

es

K

ocha

ni

Stru

ga

49

The housing conditions, i.e. the poor conditions for living in the homes (shelters)

have emerged as the most significant element behind the vulnerability of these children.

This conclusion is not based only on this research. Table No. 6 and Graphic presentations

6a and 6b show that only 10% of the total population of children on the streets live in

descent houses or apartments. In other words, apart from the financial vulnerability, the

poor housing conditions are the basic fact, which forces the children to spend most of the

day out on the streets. The poor quality of the housing is often accompanied by dirt and

mess in the yard and inside the homes. The poor hygienic conditions at home are also a

reason for the homes to be used only for spending the night.

Table No. 7. Number of housing premises by category of children and towns Towns

Number of housing premisesTotal:a) 1 room b) 2 rooms v) more than 2 rooms

0

47

23

0

8

202

6

02 2

46

0 0 01 1

42

0

10

0

8

0 0 0

8

0 0

5

0 0

6

0 021 0

2 2

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Towns

Housing conditions of children- Children in the black market -

improvised house dilapided house house/apartmant

Num

ber

of

child

ren

Sko

pje

Kum

anov

o

T

etov

o

D

elch

evo

Sh

tip

G

ostiv

ar

Bito

la

Pr

ilep

G

evge

lija

Sv.

Nik

ole

S

trum

ica

V

eles

K

ocha

ni

Stru

ga

50

Children who beg

Children in street services

Children in the black

market

Children who

beg

Children in street services

Children in the black

market

Children who

beg

Children in street services

Children in the black

market Skopje 49(%) 2(%) 6(%) 37(%) 15(%) 42(%) 2(%) 5(%) 22(%) 180

Kumanovo 9(%) 3(%) 0% 1(%) 7(%) 7(%) 0% 0% 3(%) 30Tetovo 10(%) 5(%) 0% 0% 1(%) 2(%) 0% 0% 6(%) 24

Delchevo 3(%) 4(%) 0% 49(%) 0% 3(%) 0% 0% 1(%) 15Shtip 11(%) 1(%) 2(%) 9(%) 4(%) 7(%) 1(%) 0% 1(%) 36

Gostivar 20(%) 0% 0% 1(%) 0% 1(%) 1(%) 0% 0% 23Bitola 12(%) 5(%) 3(%) 3(%) 2(%) 4(%) 0% 1(%) 0% 30Prilep 19(%) 6(%) 6(%) 1(%) 4(%) 4(%) 0% 0%/ 0% 40

Gevgelija 14(%) 4(%) 8(%) 3(%) 3(%) 0% 0% 0% 0% 32Sv.Nikole 3(%) 3(%) 6(%) 1(%) 1(%) 2(%) 0% 0% 0% 16Strumica 9() 2(%) 2(%) 6(%) 5(%) 2(%) 0% 3(%) 1(%) 30

Veles 3(%) 7(%) 4(%) 5(%) 1(%) 2(%) 0% 2(%) 0% 24Kochani 1(%) 1(%) 1(%) 2(%) 29(%) 2(%) 0% 0% 0% 9Struga 3(%) 3(%) 0% 1(%) 0% 4(%) 0% 0% 0% 11Total: 166(%) 46(%) 38(%) 74(%) 45(%) 82(%) 4(%) 11(%) 34(%) 500

The survey has shown that not only that the buildings are totally inadequate for

living, but also they are small and most frequently with one-room (250 children or 50%),

or two rooms (201 children or 40.2%). The research also covered children who were

brothers and sisters living in the same homes. Therefore, the number of nights does not

refer to a particular household. The children on the streets oftentimes sleep on sponges on

a sandy floor, covered with nylon.

Graphic presentation No. 7a) Number of housing premises by category of children and towns

Graphic presentation No. 7b) Number of housing premises by category of children and towns

49

37

2

9

1 0

10

003 4

0

119

1

20

1 1

12

30

19

1 0

14

30310

96

035

0 120

310

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Skopje

Kumanovo

Tetovo

Delchevo Shtip

Gostivar Bitol

aPrilep

Gevgelija

Sv.Nikole

Strumica Veles

KochaniStrug

a

Towns

Number of rooms- Children who beg -

1 room 2 rooms more than 2 rooms

Num

ber

of

child

ren

51

Graphic presentation No. 7c) Number of housing premises by category of children and towns

The research has corroborated the thesis that the stay of the children on the street

is most frequently on the initiative and encouragement of the parent(s).

Table No. 8. Parental structure and category of children (in numbers and percentages by categories)

2

15

5

3

7

0

5

10

4

0 01

4

0 0 00

5

21

6

4

0

4

3

0

3

10

2

5

3

7

121

2

0

3

0 00

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Towns

Number of rooms- Children in street services -

1 room 2 rooms more than 2 rooms

Num

ber

of

child

ren

Sko

pje

Kum

anov

o

Tet

ovo

D

elch

evo

S

htip

Gos

tivar

B

itola

Pr

ilep

Gev

gelij

a

Sv.

Nik

ole

S

trum

ica

V

eles

K

ocha

ni

Stru

ga

6

42

22

0

7

302

6

031 2

7

1 0 1 03 4

0

64

0

8

0 0

6

202 2 1

420 1

20 0

4

00

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Cities

Number of rooms- Children in the black market -

1 room 2 rooms more than 2 rooms

Num

ber

of

child

ren

Sko

pje

Kum

anov

o

T

etov

o

D

elch

evo

S

htip

Gos

tivar

B

itola

Pr

ilep

G

evge

lija

Sv.

Nik

ole

S

trum

ica

V

eles

K

ocha

ni

Stru

ga

52

Category Parental structure Total:

a) Two parents

b) Single parent

v) Guardian

g) Without parents

Children who beg

182(74%) 58(24%) 2(1%) 2(1%) 244

Children in street

services

85(83%) 17(17%) 0% 0% 102

Children in the black market

130(84%) 21(14%) 3(2%) 0% 154

TOTAL: 397(79%) 96(19,5%) 5(1%) 2(0,5%) 500

Graphic presentation No. 8. Parental structure and category of children

Table No. 8 shows that 79% of the children are with two parents, while 19.5% are

single parents. This situation points to the need to include in the programmes the parents

of the children on the streets, as well. We assume that children without parents are with

tutors, under institutional care, or live with their grandparents. However, a certain portion

of them drift and self-support them.

182

85

130

58

17 21

2 0 3 2 0 0

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

Number of children

Two parents Single parent Guardian Without parents

Parental structure

Children who beg Children in street services Children in black market

53

As regards the number of family members, most of the surveyed children live in

large families comprised of 5-6 members (Table No. 9, Graphic No. 9)

Table No. 9. Number of family members by category of children

Category of

children

Number of family membersTotal:

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15Begging 26

11%36

15%48

20%51

21%37

15%177%

104%

83%

31%

62%

10,5%

10,5%

0% 244

Street services

9(9%)

21(20%)

27(26%)

16(16%)

11(11%)

99%

66%

11%

0% 0% 0% 0% 2(2%)

102

Black market

1(10%)

27(18%)

35(23%)

2(16%)

14(9%)

16(10%)

7(4%)

2(1%)

3(2%)

9(6%)

1(1%)

0% 0% 154

Total: 50(10%)

84(17%)

110(22%)

92(19%)

62(12%)

42(8%)

255%) 11(2%)

6(1%

15(3%

)

2(0,4%

)

1(0,2%)

2(0,4%)

500

Graphic presentation No. 9. Number of family members by category of children

The number of children coming from smaller families with 3-4 children is also

significant (10% and 17%). This does not indicate, however, that the families are indeed

small, but rather young families, with young parents.

In larger families, the role of the father is important, who not only forces the

children to go on the streets, but also takes away from them the obtained resources.

26

9

15

36

21

27

48

27

35

51

16

25

37

1114

17

9

16

10

6 78

1 23

03

6

0

9

1 0 1 1 0 0 020

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Number of children

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11

12

13

14

15

Number of family members

Children who beg Children in street services Children in the black market

54

Although there have been a number of projects undertaken for family planning and

contraception, especially in the regions populated with Roma population, this category is

not covered with educational and counselling services, perhaps also due to their extreme

illiteracy and the low level of intellectual capacity.

Education as a social need is a factor that should not be overlooked in the

research of the vulnerability of the children on the streets. Although, these children spend

their days out on the streets, on well-frequented places and meet people with higher

cultural level, it has no influence on them to change their way of life particularly in terms

of getting an interest in the school and studies. Their life is away from the environment in

which they mingle, but is under the influence of the low educational level of their parents.

This assumption was corroborated during the research with the data shown in

Table No. 10 and the Graphic presentation No. 10 that 70% of the mothers and 51% of

the father are illiterate. The same situation applies to their children, of whom 66%

brothers and 73% sisters are illiterate, while 17% of the mothers and 24% of the fathers

have completed only fourth grade, i.e. have incomplete elementary education.

Table No. 10. Education of the family members

Family members

Education of the family members

Total:a) illiterate b) IV

gradev) primary

schoolg) secondary

school

Mothers 310(70%) 73(17%) 53(12%) 6(1%) 442

Fathers 224(51%) 105(24%) 100(23%) 9(2%) 438

Brothers 378(66%) 120(21%) 57(10%) 15(3%) 570

Sisters 322(73%) 82(18%) 34(8%) 5(1%) 443

Graphic presentation No. 10. Education of family members

55

As regards the education of the children on the streets, of school age, (Table 11

and Graphic presentation No. 11a and 11b), the largest percentage of children 48%, are

without education, primarily mothers and girls aged between 15 and 18 (mothers of that

age 76% and girls of that age 72%), which indicates that they have missed the

opportunity for regular school attendance. Also, a significant percentage of children

(52%) are not school dropouts, which means that with more active cooperation with

them, there is a chance that half of the children on the streets could complete their regular

elementary education.

Table No. 11. Education of children on the streets by sex and age (in percentages by age)

Sex and age Education of children on the streets Total:a) without education

b) attends IV grade

v) attends IV- VIII grade.

g) attends secondary

school

M

7-10 10(15%) 56(85%) 0% 0% 6611-14 56(43%) 0% 75(57%) 0% 13115-18 79(76%) 0% 0% 25(24%) 104

F

7-10 13(30%) 30(70%) 0% 0% 4311-14 30(46%) 0% 35(54%) 0% 6515-18 18(72%) 0% 0% 7(28%) 25

Total: 206(48%) 86(20%) 110(25%) 32(7%) 434Graphic presentation No. 11a Education of children on the streets by sex and age

310

224

378

322

73

105120

82

53

100

5734

6 9 15 5

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

Number of children

iliterate IVgrade primary school secondary school

Education of family members

MothersFathersBrothersSisters

56

Graphic presentation No. 11b Education of children on the streets by sex and age

The situation is more alarming in terms of the high school coverage of these

children. Frequently, the money that they posses do not stimulate them to attend school.

To the contrary, they seem satisfied and even motivated to avoid school.

However, Table No. 12 and the Graphic presentation No. 12 show that 27% of the

children on the streets, including most of those who are involved in re-selling of products,

10

56

79

56

0 0 0

75

0 0 0

25

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Number of children

without education attends 4 grade attends fro 4 till 8 grade attends secondary school

Education of children on the streets per sex and age- male -

07 1011 1415 18

13

30

18

30

0 0 0

35

0 0 0

7

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Number of children

witout education attends 4 grade attends from 4 till 8 grade attends secondary school

Education of children on the streets per sex and age- female -

07 1011 1415 18

57

are in regular attendance of school. This leads to the presumption that the basic reasons

for earning money in this manner are the economic problems of the families of the pupils.

Table No. 12. Attendance in school by children on the streets in numbers and percentages

School attendance Total:a) Regular b) Attends

occasionally c) do not attend

118(27%) 110(26%) 206(47%) 434

Graphic presentation No. 12. Attendance in school

Data corroborates the fact presented in Table No. 13 and Graphic presentation No.

13 about the basic obstacles for attending school, whereby it is observable that 45% of

the children on the streets fail to attend school due to poverty in their families and the

lack of opportunities to satisfy their basic needs.

118110

206

0102030405060708090100110120130140150160170180190200210

Number of children

Regular attends occasionally do not attend

School attendence

58

Table No. 13 Obstacles for regular attendance of school

Obstacles for regular school attendance Total:a)

Engaged by parents

b) Poverty

v) Not interested in

g) I find learning

difficult

d) I see no use in

learning

g) Absence due to seasonal work

e) Other

53(9,5%) 250(45%) 75(13%) 28(5%) 37(7%) 115(20%) 3(0,5%) 561

Graphic presentation No. 13 Obstacles for regular attendance of school

Also, children who are involved in seasonal agricultural works with their parents,

fail to attend school in those given periods (20%). However, some schools tolerate this

type of absence and pupils still manage to complete the given grade (Prilep, Kocani etc).

The surveyed children were given an opportunity to mention one or two most

serious obstacles for attending school, and oftentimes, apart from poverty, they would

mention other reasons as well.

Worth mentioning also is the fact that 13% of children are not interested in

studying because they either do not recognise any benefit in studying or observe it as a

difficult undertaking, i.e. cannot comprehend it and are hence not successful in school. Of

all surveyed children on the streets, 9.5% said that the major obstacle for them to attend

53

250

75

2837

115

3

0

50

100

150

200

250

Number of children

engaged by parents poverty not interested in

I find it learning dificult

I see no use in learning

absence due to seasonal work

other

Obstacles for regular school attendence

59

school was the fact that their parents made them be involved in activities that hinder their

studies or attendance in school.

The analysis of the basic statistical indicators for the features linked with the

housing and mapping were cross-tabulated with the information about the sex, age, towns

of operation, place of birth and ethnic affiliation. For the purposes of having a better

picture of the reasons for them to be on the streets, we also presented the data about the

living conditions, family composition, health condition and the educational features.

1.4.1.1.2. Mapping of locations by town of residence of the children on the streets

The largest percentage of the children on the streets in the Republic of Macedonia

lives with their families, i.e. their parents. The results from the research corroborated the

assumption that children live in inadequately constructed homes with only bare minimum

living conditions. Such adequate buildings (homes) comprise their settlements or

locations.

The settlements of the poor population are most frequently illegally built as they

can hardly pay for the construction materials and build their houses by themselves or with

the assistance of the close family members. They cannot afford to pay the taxes for legal

construction works.

The settlements of the poorest (mostly Roma) are located on the outskirts of the

towns, next to military barracks, butcher houses, rivers, and even dumpsites.

Some of the older settlements of the poorest -- that used to be out of the towns in

the time of their construction-- have gradually become part of the town itself because of

the process of increase of the number of population and the urban expansion. Sometimes

they are even located at the very centre of the towns. (Skopje – settlement Topaana,

Prilep – settlement Trisla, Tetovo next to the market, Kocani and the like).

Despite the life in settlements without adequate infrastructure, the poor population

seem to show preference over these types of settlements as they feel more secure in their

own environment. Therefore, their lifestyle should be accepted and the possibility for

dislocating these settlements need to be considered (possibly with constructing more

adequate houses) in order to enable them to have more adequate space for living and

60

more adequate infrastructure. Although the recommendation is to consider re-adaptation

of the military barracks that are no longer used, the information from the respondents

indicate that they had already been purchased by businessmen.

In this part of the study, we present (also graphically), the locations of the

settlements of 14 towns in which children on the streets reside. Each town has a global-

orientation map indicating the locations of the settlements. The most frequented nearby

streets are also indicated. The locations are marked in a form of a circle. Besides the

circles, there is a graphic presentation of the typical places and facilities, for easier

reference.

We expect the data from the mapping to be instrumental for the responsible

persons and institutions and in the process of advancing the urban life and environment of

the towns. We also hope that these data would have an impact on the implementation of

the activities related to the Roma Decade (2005-2015) and the Action Plan on Housing in

the Republic of Macedonia.

Locations in which children on the streets reside

Locality/Town Category of children Total: Children who beg

Children on Street services

Children in the black market

SKOPJEMunicipality K. Voda 10 3 5 18Sett. Drachevo / 3 5 8Sett. Pat Za Kitka 4 / / 4v. Batinci 6 / / 6Municipality YEARS Baba 9 3 8 20Sett. Inxikovo 3 1 3 7Sett. Stara Klanica 2 1 1 4Sett. Vardarishte 3 1 3 7Sett. Ilinden 1 / 1 2Municipality Sh. Orizari 22 3 8 33Municipality YEARS Petrov 18 2 7 27Sett. Dame Gruev (Novoselski pat)

18 2 7 27

Municipality Karposh 5 2 14 21Sett. Zlokukani 5 2 14 21Municipality Saraj 3 4 12 19

61

Sett. Svinjarnik 3 4 12 19Municipality Chair 2 1 9 12 Street Dizonska 2 1 9 12Municipality Centar 19 4 7 30 Street Serava 4 / 2 6Sett. Gazi Baba 1 1 2 4Sett. Topaana 14 3 3 21Total: 88 22 70 180KUMANOVOSett. Sredorek 3 5 3 11 Street Anga Rankovik 7 / 2 9 Street Bosanska / / 2 2v. Chekrezi / / 2 2v. Bejlovce / / 1 1 Street Guro Gakovik / 2 / 2 Street Bajram Shabani / 2 / 2 Street 27th Mart / 1 / 1Total: 10 10 10 30PRILEPSett. Trisla 20 9 10 39M.U. Vishne / 1 / 1Total: 20 10 10 40DELChEVOB Street Makedonija 1 / / 1v. Star Istevnik 1 / / 1Sett. Star Rasadnik 1 2 / 3v. Trabotivishte 1 / 1 2Cigansko Maalo 1 1 / 2v. Stamer 1 / / 1Pustevski Endek ( Street Bregalnichka)

/ 1 1 2

Maxir Maalo (Ilindenska)

/ / 1 1

From another town 1 / 1 2Total: 7 4 4 15TETOVOSett. MonoGender - Vero (29 noemvri, Mala stanica) 8 1 / 9v. Tearce 1 / / 1Sett. Centar (Teke) 1 1 / 2Sett. Drenovec / 2 / 2M.U. Vanvardarska - Teteks / 1 1 1 Street I.A. Smok / 1 / 1 Street J. Zlatanoski (M.U. Cetinska) / / 6 6

62

M.U. Marshal Tito / / 1 1Total: 10 6 8 24KOChANIRomsko Maalo 2 2 3 7Old Army Baraques 1 1 / 2Total: 3 3 3 9Sv. NIKOLE Street Trajan Ciklev 1 / 3 4 Street Goce Delchev 1 1 2 4 Street Kikevachka 1 3 2 6 Street Pogled / / 1 1 Street Vancho Angelov 1 / / 1Total: 4 4 8 16BITOLASett. Bair 15 8 7 30Total: 15 8 7 30SHTIP Street Radanski pat (Kosovska)

14 5 10 29

Street Sremska 4 / / 4 Street Engelsova 3 / / 3Total: 21 5 10 36VELESSett. Ramina 6 6 5 16Sett. Crna Dzamija / 1 1 2Sett. Shorka / 1 / 1Sett. Vlashka Crkva / 1 / 1Sett. Jurija / 1 / 1Sett. Prcorek 2 / / 2Total: 8 10 6 24STRUMICA Street Betovenova 11 4 4 19 Street Boshko Buha / / 1 1 Street 5thNoemvri 2 3 / 5 Street Slavcho Stojmenski / 1 / 1 Street Bratstvo / 1 / 1 Street Pirinska / 1 / 1Chiflik Maalo 2 / / 2Total: 15 10 5 30GOSTIVARv. Chajle / / 1 1 Street JNA 7 / / 7 Street Balindolska 1 / / 1Sett. Grudajce 3 / / 3Sett. Ciglana 2 / / 2

63

Street Boge Veljanoski 2 / / 2 Street B. Kidrik 1 / / 1 Street Petar Avramovski 1 / / 1 Street N. Parapunov 1 / / 1 Street Braka Ginoski 1 / / 1From another town 3 / / 3Total: 22 / 1 23GEVGELIJA Street Kliment Ohridski (v. Miravci)

11 7 7 25

From another town 6 / 1 7Total: 17 7 8 32STRUGA Street Globochica / / 4 4Sett. Enhalon 4 3 / 7Total: 4 3 4 11TOTAL: 244 102 154 500

The maps of towns with indicated locations with children on the streets are

presented in Appendix 4 of this study.

1.4.1.2. Characteristics of the street life of the “children on the streets”

The street is the second home of the category of children who are subject of this

study: it is their world, their daily environment for communication, existence and

entertainment. The children are on the streets in the winter days, exposed to cold and ice,

in summer days, exposed to heat and also permanently exposed to rain and wind. People

pass by with their vehicles, not even noticing that they fill their lives with joy and also

dissatisfaction and tears.

This part of the study refers to the basic characteristics of the life on the streets or

to public places of the children who are “poorest of the poor”, who are hoping that they

would earn for a minimum livelihood for them or their families.

The basic goal of this part of the study is to make an assessment of the street as

their central environment and measure how much time (how many hours per day) they

spend on the streets, what is attractive and what is repulsive about the streets, and also to

learn about their dreams and visions for better life.

64

We expect that these data will assist in the efforts for devising more direct forms

of support and assistance to this category of children with the aim to provide better

quality of life for them.

Through a number of tables and graphic presentations, the problem is examined in

7 sub-titles with analysis of each indicator in numbers and percentages, with the aim for

us to arrive at adequate conclusions and recommendations.

The study of the life of the children on the streets is presented through the

following parameters: locations, i.e. place of stay of the children; who accompanies the

children; time spent on the streets (in hours); average length of stay on the streets; time

spent on the streets compared to performing tasks at home; most difficult problems faced

by the children in terms of injuries and physical confrontations; their fears while being on

the streets, expelled from the streets and when sleeping on the streets; control over the

children and the leisure time of the children on the streets.

The research covered 13 types of locations where children hang out or move

while begging, performing different types of services on the streets or selling products

banned on the market or not-taxed.

The initial contacts with the children on the streets were made away from their

homes when we realised that they do not always stay on the same locations, but move

about depending on their presumption of the possibility to meet larger groups of people

or vehicles (due to the end of the seasonal works, we could not cover those locations).

Therefore, we decided to conduct the survey through registration of the children

according to their place of living.

The highest numbers of children (220) solicit on the markets, most frequently on

market days and in their place (town) of living. Some children beg on market days in

towns away from their homes where they expect to gain financial resources. A large

number of children who beg or sell items were found in the shops of the bazaar 12%,

10% of them in houses, 8% on crossroads with traffic lights and shopping malls 7.5%, at

bus stations (inter-city and city) 6%, in churches and mosques 10%, on cemeteries 5%

and other public places. Table No. 14 and the Graphic presentations No. 14 and 14a, b

and c, give a clear picture of the most frequent and most attractive places for the

children by towns. This enables us to get an understanding of the situation in the R.

65

Macedonia by each town separately, but also compare towns for us to understand which

are the typical features and commonalities between neighbouring towns. This could be

instrumental for the local self-government to initiate joint programmes and projects to

address the issues.

Table No. 14 Locations of most frequent movement of children by towns

Towns

Locations of most fequent movement of children

Total:A

Cross road

B Cross road with

traffic lights

V Market

G Old

Bazar

D Bus

station

GRailw

ay statio

n

ECafébar

Z Squa

re

Z Tourist

site

Y Mol

l

I Church

J Mosq

ue

KCemete

ry

LArou

nd other house

s

LJ Other

Skopje 21%

6129%

4320%

63%

52%

42%

42%

31%

0% 2210%

42%

42%

21%

3014%

2311%

213100%

Kumanovo 11%

11%

1317%

1216%

811%

0% 11%

1520%

0% 45%

0% 57%

0% 1014%

45%

74100%

Tetovo 13%

821%

1232%

13%

25%

13%

25%

13%

0% 25%

13%

38%

13%

13%

25%

38100%

Delchevo 25%

0% 37,5%

410%

0% 0% 25%

37,5%

12.5%

0% 25%

615%

410%

922,5%

410%

40100%

Shtip 32%

32%

3224%

2721%

54%

0% 11%

32%

11%

2720%

118%

86%

54%

54%

11%

132100%

Gostivar 0% 0% 56%

56%

67%

0% 1012%

78%

0% 45%

911%

1316%

22%

56%

1721%

83100%

Bitola 0% 22%

2019%

1918%

33%

0% 66%

55%

22%

77%

33%

11%

1514%

22%

1918%

104100%

Prilep 21%

0% 2417%

2215%

107%

11%

21%

75%

0% 64%

1813%

0% 1611%

2316%

139%

144100%

Gevgelija 0% 0% 615%

513%

718%

615%

0% 13%

0% 25%

0% 0% 0% 1026%

25%

39100%

Sv.Nikole 48%

0% 1531%

1531%

0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 612%

918%

49100%

Strumica 23%

813%

2134%

813%

813%

0% 23%

711%

0% 0% 58%

0% 0% 0% 0% 6100%

Veles 68%

0% 1823%

0% 1621%

11%

1013%

0% 0% 0% 1418%

0% 1216%

0% 0% 77100%

Kochani 0% 0% 529%

212%

16%

0% 0% 0% 0% 212%

318%

16%

0% 318%

0% 17100%

Struga 0% 0% 314%

29%

0% 0% 15%

523%

0% 627%

0% 0% 15%

418%

0% 22100%

Total: 232%

838%

22020%

12812%

716%

131%

414%

575%

40,5%

827,5%

706%

414%

585%

10810%

949%

1093100%

66

Graphic presentation 14a) Locations of most frequent movement of children by towns

Graphic presentation 14b) Locations of most frequent movement of children by towns

2

61

43

65 11

131281

812

1220340

3 3

32

27

50 0

556

0 2

2019

3 20

2422

10

00

657 4

0

1515

02

8

21

88 6

0

18

0

16

00521 0 0

3200

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Number of children

Skopje

Kumanovo

Tetovo

Delchevo Shtip

Gostivar Bitol

aPrilep

Gevgelija

Sv.Nikole

Strumica Veles

Kochani Strug

a

Towns

Locations of most frequent movement of children - a

-

Cross roadCross road with traffic lightsMarket

Old BazarBus station

443

22

01

15

4 121 2 0230 0 1

3

27

0

107

4 0

65 71 2

766

0 12 000 0 027

01

10

00 0002 0 15 6

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Number of children

Skopje

Kumanovo

Tetovo

Delchevo Shtip

Gostivar Bitol

aPrilep

Gevgelija

Sv.Nikole

Strumica Veles

Kochani Strug

a

Towns

Locations of most frequent movement of children- b -

Rely way stationCafe barSquareTurist siteMoll

67

Graphic presentation 14c) Locations of most frequent movement of children by towns

Table No. 15 presents the data relating to the issues who accompanies the

children on the streets obtained from the interviews and statements given by the

children, but also from observing the factual situation by the surveyors. The highest

percentage of children (27%) is alone on the streets performing their activities, which

may also be due to their fear of competition. Also, a high percentage of children are

accompanied by friends (24%) or their brothers or sisters 21%, also including the mother

9%. The father of the child on the street joins the activities on the streets when it comes to

children younger than 10 years mostly for the reason to protect them if somebody would

want to take away the collected money. Mothers on the streets are frequently indirectly

controlled by their husbands who secretly follow or threaten them. Mothers are

commonly on the streets with younger children and take care of their food, water and

other needs.

442

30

23

050

10

4 1311226494

118551

913

25

17

31

15

2

1918

0

16

23

13

00 0

10

2 00069 5

0000

14

0

12

0031030

001400

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Number of children

Skopje

Kumanovo

Tetovo

Delchevo Shtip

Gostivar Bitol

aPrilep

Gevgelija

Sv.Nikole

Strumica

Veles Kochani

Struga

Towns

Locations of most frequent movement of children

- v -

ChurchMosqueCemeteryAround other housesOther

68

Table No. 15 Who accompanies the children on the streets by category of children, sex and age

Category, sex and age

Who accompanies the children on the streets Total:a)

aloneb) with

brothers/sisters

v) with friends

g) with their

mother

d) with their

father

g) with their mother and

father

e) with their family

z) with relatives

z) with friends

Begging

M 0-6 26%

721%

13%

1340%

13%

39%

13%

13%

412%

33100%

7-10 1332,5%

820%

512,5%

410%

25%

12,5%

512,5%

25%

0% 40100%

11-14 1732%

1019%

2038%

35%

12%

24%

0% 0% 0% 53100%

15-18 1158%

211%

526%

15%

0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 19100%

F 0-6 15%

314%

0% 733%

210%

210%

419%

0% 29%

21100%

7-10 413%

724%

620%

413%

13%

27%

27%

13%

310%

30100%

11-14 820%

1435%

820%

410%

12,5%

12,5%

25%

0% 25%

40100%

15-18 450%

112,5%

112,5%

0% 0% 0% 112,5%

0% 112,5%

8100%

S t r e e t s e r v i c e s

M 0-6 150%

0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 150%

0% 0% 2100%

7-10 225%

112,5%

450%

0% 0% 0% 0% 112,5%

/ 8100%

11-14 822%

411%

2259%

0% 0% 0% 0% 38%

/ 37100%

15-18 832%

416%

1144%

0% 0% 0% 0% 28%

/ 25100%

F 0-6 0% 150%

0% 0% 0% 0% 150%

0% / 2100%

7-10 240%

0% 0% 0% 120%

240%

0% 0% 0% 5100%

11-14 323%

323%

323%

18%

0% 0% 0% 215%

18%

13100%

15-18 440%

110%

220%

110%

0% 220%

0% 0% 0% 10100%

Bl ack marke t

M 0-6 120%

0% 120%

120%

120%

0% 120%

0% 0% 5100%

7-10 528%

844%

211%

0% 16%

0% 211%

0% 0% 18100%

11-14 1127%

1229%

1229%

0% 37%

13%

0% 0% 25%

41100%

15-18 2847%

1118,5%

1118,5%

12%

35%

23%

23%

23%

0% 60100%

F 0-6 0% 133%

133%

133%

0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 3100%

7-10 0% 562,5%

0% 0% 0% 0% 112,5%

112,5%

112,5%

8100%

11-14 433%

217%

326%

18%

0% 18%

18%

0% 0% 12100%

15-18 0% 344%

114%

114%

114%

0% 0% 114%

0% 7100%

Total: 13727%

10821%

11924%

439%

184%

194%

245%

163%

163%

500100%

Begging is most characteristic for children from elementary school age between

11 and 14 who are out on the streets alone or accompanied by their friends. Girls on that

69

age can often be seen on the streets begging, but are more likely to be together with their

brothers or sisters.

The largest percentages of the boys who perform services on the streets are either

accompanied by their friends or are alone. The girls are likely to be with their parents.

Re-selling on the streets is more typical for the boys, due to the fear that the

products may be forcefully taken away or stolen from them, which would imply that not

only they would not earn anything, but would fall in debt. Large portions of those who

sell are with ethnic Albanian background because Muslim norms ban purposeless

movement of girls on the streets. This manner of earning money is attractive for the boys

as this is the way for them to earn pocket money that cannot be otherwise obtained from

their parents. This activity occupies them heavily so that they spend as many as 9-10

hours daily on the street, fail to appear in school, or when they do manage to go to school,

they do not do their homework and avoid studying.

This category of children is recurrently misused by those who provide the items to

them, but also by their parents. Namely, because of the penal measures, the adults would

not they dare to be publicly seen involved in smuggling.

The time spent on the streets by the children is also an important indicator for

their vulnerability, primarily in health and social terms, but not less in educational terms.

Data on the time spent on the streets are presented in four tables Table 16, 17, 18 and 19.

In order to more clearly review the situation, each table is accompanied by a graphic

presentation.

Table No. 16 How many times a week the child is present on the location, by category of children

Category of children

Days of the week Total:1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Children who beg 94%

166%

5121%

4820%

9941

135%

83%

244100%

Children in street services

11%

77%

1717%

2625%

3635%

55%

1010%

102100%

Children in the black market

32%

117%

2617%

3120%

4428%

2013%

1912%

154100%

Total: 133%

347%

9419%

10521%

17936%

387%

377%

500100%

70

Graphic presentation No. 16 How many times a week the child is present on the location, by category of children

Children on the streets are almost every day out of their homes, except when they

have a duty at home or out of the home, or in times of holidays. Nonetheless, 36% of all

children on the streets spend five days a week out of their homes. Of the total number of

children who beg, 41% spend five days on the streets, 21% spend three days on the

streets and 20% spend four days on the streets. Of the category of children who beg, 80%

are out of their homes every second day.

The total number of children on the streets who spend five days a week out of

their homes also includes the highest percentage of children who perform services, i.e.

35% of them. Taking into account the fact that those who perform services also beg, then

a conclusion can be drawn that 86% of the total number of children who beg and perform

services are on the streets several hours a day. From the group of children who re-sell,

28% sell products five days a week, 13% sell 6 days a week and 12% seven days a week.

This means that 53% of children spend five and more days a week on the streets, i.e.

(59%) of the children who sell spend most of their time out of their homes. The reason

behind this, on one hand, is the motivation for a safer way of getting some income by

selling items, but not less important are the orders given by their “order-givers” who

provide the items for selling.

9

1 3

16

711

51

17

26

48

2631

99

36

44

13

5

20

8 10

19

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Number of children

1 2 3 4 5 6 7Days of the week

How many times a week the child is present on the location

Children who begChildren in street servicesChildren in the black market

71

The length of stay on the streets of children of all three categories is alarming

and is among the relevant indicators of their vulnerability and the poor living conditions.

Equally important for this study are the data referring to the average length (in

hours) of stay on the streets by categories, in cross-tabulation with the sex and age of the

children, presented in Table 17.

Largest percentages of children (23%) of all categories spend approximately 6

hours a day on the streets. The percentage of those spending 5 hours (16%), 8 hours

(14%) and 7 hours (13%) is also very high. 43% of them are on the highly frequented

streets. Children most often come to the streets at the beginning of the work days (when

people go to work) and stay until the hours when people return from work, when they go

to the market or shop, visit the religious facilities (churches and mosks) or in the morning

and afternoon after the working hours.

As regards the age, more hours on the streets are spend by boys who beg at the

age from 1 month to 6 years, 7-10 years and girls from 7 to 14 years of age. Table No. 17

shows the situation in detail which enables the readers to independently examine certain

indicators that would be useful for them.

72

Table 17. Average length of stay (in hours) of children on the streets during the day, by category, age and sexCategory, sex and age

Average length of stay on the streets Total:Below

4 hours

4 hours

5 hours

6 hours

7 hours 8 hours 9 hours 10 hours Over 10

hours

Chi

ldre

n w

ho b

eg

M 0-6 722%

13%

412%

1339%

515%

26%

0% 13%

0% 33100%

7-10 512,5%

410%

615%

820%

615%

512,5%

25%

25%

25%

40100%

11-14 815%

59%

917%

917%

611%

815%

36%

48%

12%

53100%

15-18 0% 316%

422%

15%

316%

526%

210%

0% 15%

19100%

F 0-6 628%

210%

314%

419%

26010%

314%

0% 15%

0% 21100%

7-10 27%

13%

414%

827%

517%

723%

13%

13%

13%

30100%

11-14 25%

718%

615%

1128%

512%

717%

12,5%

12,5%

0% 40100%

15-18 113%

0% 113%

336%

0% 225%

0% 0% 113%

8100%

Chi

ldre

n in

stre

et se

rvic

es

M 0-6 0% 0% 150%

0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 150%

2100%

7-10 112,5%

337,5%

112,5%

112,5%

0% 0% 112,5%

0% 112,5%

8100%

11-14 25%

820%

410%

820%

410%

513%

13%

513%

0% 37100%

15-18 28%

728%

624%

416%

28%

28%

0% 14%

14%

25100%

F 0-6 0% 150%

0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 150%

2100%

7-10 120%

0% 360%

0% 0% 120%

0% 0% 0% 5100%

11-14 430%

18%

18%

18%

215%

0% 18%

18%

215%

13100%

15-18 0% 110%

110%

330%

220%

220%

0% 0% 110%

10100%

Chi

ldre

n in

the

blac

k m

arke

t

M 0-6 120%

0% 240%

240%

0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 5100%

7-10 211%

211%

211%

211%

634%

211%

211%

0% 0% 18

11-14 37%

410%

922%

1230%

410%

410%

12%

37%

12%

41100%

15-18 47%

1118%

711%

1322%

813%

915%

35%

12%

47%

60100%

F 0-6 134%

0% 0% 266%

0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 3100%

7-10 0% 0% 225%

450%

0% 225%

0% 0% 0% 8100%

11-14 217%

18%

217%

217%

541%

0% 0% 0% 0% 12100%

15-18 0% 0% 0% 457%

114%

229%

0% 0% 0% 7100%

Total: 5411%

6212%

7816%

11523%

6613%

6814%

183,5%

214%

183,5%

500100%

Concerning the time spent on the streets by months and years, i.e. the average

timeframe for stay on the streets, data by categories, sex and age of children are presented

in table No. 18

73

Table No. 18. Length of work/begging on the streets in months and years, by category, sex and age

Category, gender and age

Lenght of work/begging on the street Total:

a) 1-6 months b) 7 months-1 year

v) 1-2 years g) 2-4 years

d) over 4 years

Chi

ldre

n w

ho b

eg

M 0-6 15 (46%) 7(21%) 5(15%) 5(15%) 1(3%) 33(100%)7-10 2(5%) 11(27,5%) 12(30%) 9(22,5%) 6(15%) 40(100%)

11-14 0% 7(13%) 10(19%) 17(32%) 19(36%) 53(100%)15-18 1(5%) 1(5%) 2(10%) 9(48%) 6(32%) 19(100%)

Z 0-6 11(52%) 5(24%) 2(10%) 0% 3(14%) 21(100%)7-10 4(13%) 6(20%) 3(10%) 11(37%) 6(20%) 30(100%)

11-14 2(5%) 1(2,5%) 4(10%) 13(32,5%) 20(50%) 40(100%)15-18 0% 0% 0% 4(50%) 4(50%) 8(100%)

Chi

ldre

n in

stre

et

serv

ices

M 0-6 1(50%) 0% 1(50%) 0% 0% 2(100%)7-10 1(12,5%) 3(37,5%) 3(37,5%) 0% 1(12,5%) 8(100%)

11-14 0% 5(13%) 8(22%) 14(38%) 10(27%) 37(100%)15-18 1(4%) 1(4%) 5(20%) 13(52%) 5(20%) 25(100%)

Z 0-6 1(50%) 0% 1(50%) 0% 0% 2(100%)7-10 0% 3(60%) 1(20%) 1(20%) 0% 5(100%)

11-14 3(23%) 2(15,5%) 2(15,5%) 3(23%) 3(23%) 13(100%)15-18 1(10%) 0% 2(20%) 2(20%) 5(50%) 10(100%)

Chi

ldre

n in

the

blac

k m

arke

t

M 0-6 3(60%) 2(40%) 0% 0% 0% 5(100%)7-10 1(5%) 5(28%) 9(50%) 3(17%) 0% 18(100%)

11-14 2(5%) 7(17%) 15(36%) 11(27%) 6(15%) 41(100%)15-18 2(3%) 6(10%) 8(13%) 21(36%) 23(38%) 60(100%)

Z 0-6 1(33,5%) 2(66,5%) 0% 0% 0% 3(100%)7-10 1(12,5%) 3(37,5%) 3(37,5%) 1(12,5%) 0% 8(100%)

11-14 1(8%) 2(17%) 4(33,5%) 4(33,5%) 1(8%) 12(100%)15-18 0% 1(14%) 1(14%) 3(43%) 2(29%) 7(100%)

Total: 54(11%) 80(16%) 101(20%) 144(29%) 121(24%) 500(100%)

The largest percentages of children on the streets, i.e. 29% spend a period

between two and four years on the streets, while 24% are present on the streets for more

than four years. On one hand, this is an indication that this negative phenomenon has a

tradition and it commences and persists during their childhood. On the other hand, it also

shows that poverty in their families has been unrelenting for a longer period of time, and

they have internalised the habits of spending their days out of their houses. Of the

children who spend 2 to 4 years on the streets begging, 36% are at the age between 11

and 14, but also 50% of the girls at that age, which leads to the conclusion that this is the

most vulnerable age group. Therefore, urgent and adequate measures need to be taken for

re-socialisation of this group.

The situation is somewhat similar in regard to the perceptual relation of the

children who perform services or re-sell products.

74

Table No. 18 is rich with valuable data which would be useful to the professionals

who are involved in work with this category of children (social affairs, education, health

etc). Data could be instrumental in devising programmes with very precise

hypothesis for overcoming the challenges related to this category of children.

The study also examines the issues relating to what children do when they are

not out on the streets, in terms of how they spend their leisure time and what type of

additional errands they run at home.

Table No. 19 What do children do on the places of gathering, by category

Category of children

What do children do on the places of gathering Total :

We play

Play football

Talk Music/TV

Video games

Children games

Play cards

Poll Basketball Walk in the city

centre

Prome-nade

Children who beg

9751%

95%

2212%

74%

42%

53%

0% 10,5%

105%

178,5%

189%

190

Children in Street services

3031%

1010%

2728%

22%

0% 0% 55%

33%

77%

1212%

22%

98

Children in the black

market

3826%

2316%

3927%

75%

10,5%

21%

32%

43%

32%

2517%

10,5%

146

Total: 16538%

4210%

8820%

164%

51%

71%

82%

82%

205%

5412%

215%

434

Graphic presentation No. 19 What do children do on the places of gathering, by category

97

30

38

910

23 2227

39

727 4

0 1502 0

5 3 1 3 4

1073

1712

2518

2 10

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

What do children do on the places of gathering

Children who begCh. in street service

Ch. in the black m.

W

e pl

ay

Pla

y

fo

otba

ll

Tal

king

Mus

ic/T

V

V

ideo

ga

mes

Chi

ldre

n

gam

es

Play

car

ds

Poll

Bas

ketb

all

Wal

k in

the

city

cen

tre

Prom

enad

e

Num

ber

of c

hild

ren

75

Table No. 19 presents very helpful and important data about children’s activities

in the leisure time. Namely, the largest percentages of children who beg spend their

leisure time in, in their view, attractive places, playgrounds, sporting fields. The

assumption is that they spend a portion of the obtained money on those activities. In

addition, children from this category spend their time at home or at places where they

could watch TV. Apart from the streets, TV is the most common form from which they

seem to learn something outside of the educational system, i.e. they get education for life.

Table No. 20 Time spent out of the streets and type of additional work at home, by categories of children

Category of children

Time spent out of the streetsTotal:

Additional work at homeTotal:Takes a

walkWatches TV

With friends

Other Takes care of siblings

Cleans/washes

Cooks Other

Children who beg

6722%

7625%

9431%

6522%

302100%

4748%

2828%

55%

1919%

99100%

Children in street services

3830%

2117%

5342%

1311%

125100%

3049%

1830%

58%

813%

61100%

Children in the black

market

3721%

6034%

6637%

158%

178100%

3256%

1018%

23%

1323%

57100%

Total: 14223%

15726%

21335%

9316%

605100%

10950%

5626%

126%

4018%

217100%

All categories of children on the streets, once they come back home (and most of

they do have a home), have the obligation to help at home, alone or together with their

parents. Their tasks at home are mostly linked to helping around the heating of the home,

preparation of food, cleaning and other errands.

76

Graphic presentation No 20a. Time spent out of the streets and utilisation of the leisure time, by categories of children

Graphic presentation No. 20b Time spent out of the streets and type of additional work at home, by categories of children

The children who re-sell products are linked to their parents’ homes and tend to

help out with the errands. These data support the thesis that beside the time spent on the

streets, most of the children on the streets are bound to their families. It has

importance in their life, as they need to struggle against poverty and look for a way to

67

38 37

76

21

60

94

53

66 65

13 15

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Number of children

takes a walk watches TV with his friends other

Time spent out of the streets

Childeren who begChildren in the street servicesChildren in the blackmarket

47

3032

28

18

10

5 5

2

19

8

13

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Number of children

takes care of his brother/sisters cleans/washes cooks other

Type of additional work at home

Children who begChildren in the street servicesChildren in the black market

77

survive. This fact indicates that it is not productive to work with children in daily centres

or similar institutions without simultaneously involving their families. The feeling of

affiliation, apart from the difficult economic survival, preserves the cohesiveness of the

family and the joy of being together, even in times of misery.

As regards the financial benefit from begging or work on the streets, the study

is looking into three indicators which are deemed relevant for the children, as follows:

average money they get or earn; how much of those money is spent by them, or who

eventually takes and uses the money of the children on the streets. Data for these

indicators are presented in Tables and Graphic presentations 21, 22 and 23.

Table No. 21 Amount of earned money on the streets, by category of children

CategoryAmount of earned money on the streets

Total:YES

Abellow 100

den.

B110-200

den.

V210-500 den.

GOver 500

den.

Children who beg

113(46%) 103(42%) 28(12%) 0% 244

Children in street services

47(46%) 38(37%) 15(15%) 2(2%) 102

Children in the black market

44(29%) 67(44%) 39(24%) 4(3%) 154

Total: 204(41%) 208(42%) 82(16%) 6(1%) 500

From the responses of the children given during the interviews conducted by the

surveyors (persons who were professionally trained in communication and protection),

information was obtained that the highest percentage of children receive or earn up to 100

denars a day (41%), or 200 denars a day (42%). If this amount is multiplied by 4-5 times

a week, i.e. 16-20 times a month, (this is the highest average of days a week for the

children on the streets), the final amount reaches a tune of 1,600-2,000 denars (41% of

the children) or 3,200-4,000 denars a month (42% of the children). This is an

78

insignificant amount. As regards the earnings by category, the highest amount is gained

by children who sell items on the streets, of whom half collect nearly 3,200-4,000 denars

a month, while 24% of them as much as 4,000-6,000 denars. We assume that the amount

of the gained financial resources varies, but oftentimes it is even higher than stated.

Nonetheless, the manner of spending the money and the question who spends the money

should not be overlooked.

Graphic presentation No. 21 Amount of earned money on the streets, by category of children

The manner of gaining financial resources motivates the children (who do not

receive money from their parents) to be on the streets constantly, although the amount

that they manage to get is minimal and sufficient only for satisfying of one-week basic

needs. However, as mentioned earlier, the habit and the need for the children to be in

possession of money, frequently turns out to be the main stimulus for them to actually be

on the streets.

In the following indicator, data about how money is spent is given. With this

question, we managed to obtain information about the real motivation and justification

for the children to gain or earn money on the streets.

103

28

0

38

15

2

67

39

4

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Number of children

bellow 100 den.

110-200 den.

210-500 den.

The amoun of earned money on the street, by category of children

Children who begChildren in stret srevicesChildren in the black market

79

Table No. 22 How children most frequently spend the gained or earned money, by category of children

Category of children

How children most frequently spend earned moneya) food b) clothes v) games g) other

Children who beg

230(85%) 23(8%) 8(3%) 9(4%)

Children in street services

94(72%) 22(17%) 11(8%) 4(3%)

Children in the black market

135(74%) 38(21%) 7(4%) 3(1%)

TOTAL: 459(79%) 83(14%) 26(4%) 16(3%)

Graphic presentation No. 22 How children most frequently spend the gained or earned money, by category of children

The information about how children spend their money is divided in four

categories: food, clothes, games and other. The “hand-over” of the money to the parents

falls under the “other” category. Children who beg get the smallest amount of money and

therefore the highest percentage of them (85%) spends their money on food products for

them and their families. They use that money to buy food during the day, which they eat,

but when they go home (late in the afternoon) they also buy food for dinner, together with

230

94

135

23 22

38

8 11 7 94 3

0

50

100

150

200

250

Number of children

food cloths games other

How children most frequently spend earned money

Children who begChildren in the street servicesChildren in the black market

80

their families. According to the children, that is the only proper meal they have during the

day.

Children who earn money from services and involvement in the grey (black)

market, apart from spending their money on food products, they also pay considerable

amount of the earnings on clothing (of the category of services 17%, i.e. selling 21%).

It is important to stress that children spend their money on games and

entertainment as well. Of them, 3% of those who beg and 8% of those who perform

services spend their money on games. It shows that children wish to play, but also hope

that their brothers and sisters will buy food for them instead. That is the reason why they

spend their money on games. The assumption is that the category of children that sell

products on the grey market is not only controlled by the parents or employers, but the

nature of the work makes them more responsible towards the money. This category of

children spends 74% of the earned money on food.

From the Table No. 23 and the Graphic presentation No. 23 one can more

specifically learn who owns the earned money, which also helps us find out who is

indirectly behind the children on the streets, i.e. whether the children themselves are

initiators or their parents and “order- giver”. This Table and the Graphic presentation

clearly corroborate the assumption that parents to all three categories of children are the

basic stimulus and organisers of their stay in the streets and the frequented places in the

towns.

Table No. 23 Ownership of the earned money, by category of children

Category of children

Ownership of the earned moneyTotal:

a)Parents

b)Chief of the gang

v)Spends money

alone Children who

beg201(82%) 5(2%) 38(16%) 244

Children in street services

76(75%) 7(7%) 19(18%) 102

Children in the black market

117(76%) 10(6%) 27(18%) 154

Total: 394(79%) 22(4%) 84(17%) 500

81

Graphic presentation No. 23 Ownership of the earned money, by category of children

The data obtained undoubtedly confirm that 82% of the children who beg, 75% of

the children who perform services and 76% of those who re-sell are encouraged to do so

by their parents or separately by their father or mother. Only 6% of those who sell on the

grey market said that the work was conducted in organised groups led by a person who

gave the orders. It is mostly a question of a person who buys the products for a very

cheap price (without taxes and registration), which are then sold by the children for

double or triple the original price. The money gained from the sold products are then

handed over to the person who gives the orders, and he decides who much he would pay

them for their work. For that reason, we believe that it is important to stress in this

study that the persons who issue the orders should be discovered and apprehended,

not only to be disciplined, but also to be systematically involved in the programmes

for re-socialisation together with the parents of the children who perform those

activities.

The presence on the streets is not pleasant for the children, although they

gradually get used to accepting this way of life with a sad smile on their faces.

201

76

117

5 7 10

38

1927

0102030405060708090100110120130140150160170180190200210

Number of cildren

Parents Chief of the gang Spends money alone

Ownership of the earned money

Children who begChildren in the street servicesChildren in the black market

82

Frequently, it can be observed that children try to make jokes among themselves, they

sing and play. This confirms that they are, after all, only children whose childhood has

been taken away by the streets. They do not easily come to terms and give in to this way

of life, which again confirms the understanding that they have the right to a descent

childhood.

Problems, nevertheless, exist: children’s bodies get gradually exhausted, their

health aggravates, they alienate themselves from the healthy environment they are

supposed to belong. Five indicators compose the structure of the most difficult problems

faced by the children on the streets on daily basis: 1) unfavourable daily climate

conditions; 2) gasses from the cars; 3) lack of adequate clothing and shoes; 4) threat from

human factors; and 5) fights (physical confrontations) with other children.

Table No. 24 Most difficult problems faced by the children on the streets, by categories of children

Category of children

Most difficult problems faced by the children on the streets Total:a) Bad

weather conditions

b)Danger from

the traffic

v) Danger from other

people

g) Inappropriate

clothes and shoes

d)Other

Children who beg

16441%

4311%

4812%

14235%

31%

400

Children in street

services

6440%

106%

2516%

5635%

43%

159

Children in the black market

9949%

136%

2311%

5929%

95%

203

Total: 32743%

669%

9613%

25733%

162%

762100%

The unfavourable weather conditions play the major role with highest percentage

of 41%, 40% and 49% by category of children, as they are dominant during 7-8 months

of the year. These include the rainy, wet and cold winter months, contrasted by sun and

heat in the summer. Given that the children are directly exposed to such weather

conditions (without any protection, under open sky), it is evident that the weather leads to

83

drastic aggravation of their health while the medial care is frequently unavailable for

them. The use of medicines seems to be out of the question as well. Children on the

streets are also exposed to threats of gasses from the vehicles as they are in the vicinity

of the vehicles almost during the entire day. It is generally known that a significant

portion of the car pool in the Republic of Macedonia is older than 20 years, which means

that people drive old cars, which release poisonous gases. The children inhale the gasses

and get diseases that later on become chronic diseases. In this manner, their health is

constantly jeopardised. This is the worst enemy of the children and the strongest

argument for their prompt removal from the streets.

Graphic presentation No. 24 Worst problems faced by the children on the streets, by category of children

Among the indicators of threat are the statements that children do not posses

adequate clothing and shoes. Some of them wear old and worn clothing in order to cause

feelings of compassion and sympathy and a desire of the people to help them.

The human factor as a threat for the children is also present and significant (12%,

16% and 11% of the three categories). The human factors appear in two variants: threat in

a form of human being (policemen, social workers etc) who ban their being on the streets;

and threat by parents, order-givers and intimidators who force them to earn money or

steal whatever they have already.

164

64

99

43

10 13

48

25 23

142

56 59

3 49

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180Number of children

bad weather conditions danger from traffic

danger from another people

inappropriate clothes, shoes

other

Worst problems faced by the children on the streets

Children who begChildren in thestreet servicesChildren in the black market

84

Table No. 25 itemises the indicators that hinder their stay or drives them out

from those places, most frequently by means of force, threat or collection in vans and

transfer to the places of living. It is not excluded that measures of repression can be also

applied.

Table No. 25 Chasing the children away from the streets, by category of children

Category of

children

Chasing the children away from the streetsNO TotalYES

Frequency Who chases them mostOften Occasi-

onalyRarely CSW Police NGO Compe-

titorsInspection

Children who beg

127%

8144%

8949%

219%

12050%

10,5

94%

8937%

6113%

483

Children in street services

1727%

3352%

1421%

1011%

4447%

0% 2021%

2022%

3819%

196

Children in the black

market

1113%

4048%

3239%

22%

5957%

0% 1312%

3029%

7228%

259

Total: 4012%

15447%

13541%

337,5%

22350%

10,5

4210%

13932%

17118%

938

Graphic presentation No. 25a) Chasing the children away from the streets, by category of children (frequency)

1217

11

81

33

40

89

14

32

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Number of children

Often Occasionaly Rarely

Chasing away from the street- frequency-

Children who begChildren in the street servicesChildren in the black market

85

The largest percentage of children on the streets, primarily those who re-sell stuff,

(57%) are chased by the police. There are examples when they were apprehended and

taken into police stations. Children are very scared of that and sometimes by running

away from the police, may end up being hit by a car.

Graphic presentation No. 25b) Chasing the children away from the streets, by category of children

Graphic presentation No. 25c) Chasing the children away from the streets, by category of children

21

10

2

120

44

59

1 0 0

9

2013

89

20

30

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Number of children

CSW Police NGO Competitors Inspection

Chasing the children away - Who chases them most -

Children who begChildren in the street servicesChildren in the black market

61

38

72

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Number of children

NO

Chasing the children away- NO-

Children who begChildren in the street servicesChildren in the black market

86

The employees in the Centres for Social Workers (social workers etc), are also

present on the streets to prevent children from staying there. However, their control is

considerably decreased, although their professional task is to deal with the issue of the

children’s being on the streets. This category of children, i.e. families of children,

includes most frequently beneficiaries of social assistance. Parents have the duty to

register in the Centres for Social Work where they openly state that the basic reason for

their children to be on the streets is the small amount of social assistance they get which

does not suffice for the bare livelihood. Another reason, of course, appears to be their

inability to get employed for minimum wage that would somewhat complement the

amount of the social welfare. The efforts of some of the Centres for Social Work to

organise education for the social welfare beneficiaries on topics relating to adequate

spending of the money yielded little results. Namely, it turned out that the Centres for

Social Work could not help them organise a descent life with such a small amount of

money.

Many non-governmental organisations have been implementing projects targeting

the poorest population, but the duration of those projects is usually short (6 months to 1

year). The projects are oftentimes ethnic-based and have been mostly targeting certain

facilities in the settlements. The surveyed children said that they were rarely covered by

the activities of the NGOs, although they were familiar with the venues and forms of

activities.

87

Table No. 26 Control over the actions of the children on the streets, by category of children

Category of children

Control over the actions of the children on the streets

Total NO Total:YES (who)

To-tal:

YES (Why)Parent Older

childChief of the gang

Other To take the

money

To ask us how we are doing

To send us to a

new location

To bring

us food, water

Other

Children who beg

9784%

119%

54%

33%

116100%

4539%

2219%

2118%

22%

2622%

116100%48%(yes)

12852%

244100%

Children in street

services

2566%

411%

718%

25%

38100%

2360%

513%

13%

38%

616%

38100%37%(yes)

6463%

102100%

Children in the black market

7073%

78%

1010%

99%

96100%

1920%

5052%

66%

99%

1213%

96100%

62

5838%

154100%

Total: 19277%

229%

229%

145%

250100%

8735%

7731%

2811%

146%

4417%

250100%50%(yes)

25050%

500100%

Graphic presentation No. 26a) Control over the actions of the children on the streets, by category of children

97

25

70

11

47 5 7

10

3 2

9

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Number of children

Parent Older child Chief of the gang

Others

Control over the actions of the children on the streets

Children who begChildren in the street servicesChildren in the black market

88

Graphic presentation no. 26b) Control over the actions of the children on the streets, by category of children

Another threat for the children on the streets are the fights (physical

confrontations) (Table and Graphic presentation No. 27) among children. The

confrontation seem to be a result of the daily contacts among children, but also a

consequence of the existence of rivalry groups who chase them away from the places

they occupy on the streets. The risk is very high, not only from potential injuries, but also

from the very place of the conflict (frequented streets or public facilities), which may

worsen the situation. Notwistanding, the highest percentage of children (56%, 58% and

58% by category) said that such clashes were rare occurrence. In terms of protection of

these children, this can be an obstacle in our efforts for re-socialisation, as the existing

mutual hatred may become a serious barrier for progress.

Table No. 27 Fights among children (in the course of one-month stay on the streets), by category of children

Category of children

Fights among children on the streetFrequency of fights Total:

a) very often b) occasionaly v) rarely Children who

beg8(7%) 64(56%) 42(37%) 114

Children in street services

8(17%) 28(58%) 12(25%) 48

45

23

19

22

5

50

21

1

6

2 3

9

26

6

12

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Number of children

To take us the money

To ask us how weare doing

To send us to new location

To bring us food, water

Other

Control over the actions of the children on the streets

Children who begChildren in the street servicesChildren in the black market

89

Children in the black market

6(9%) 38(58%) 22(33%) 66

Total: 22(10%) 130(57%) 76(33%) 228

Graphical presentation No. 27 Fights among children (in the course of one-month stay on the streets), by category of children

We expect that the findings of this study will motivate the professionals to get

involved in the forms and processes for re-socialisation and to have advance knowledge

to be able to competently address this negative phenomenon of the children on the streets

in their programmes.

Among the problems with which the children on the streets are faced, are the

injuries (Table No. 28 and Review No.1), which they receive simply by being or hanging

out on streets or public places.

8 86

64

28

3842

12

22

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Number of children

very often occasionaly rarely

Fights among children on the streets

Children who begChildren in the street servicesChildren in the black market

90

Table No. 28 Injuries obtained on the streets, by age and sex of the children

Sex and age

Injuries obtained on the streets

Total :a) Moderate injures b) Heavy injuries

No. of injuries Type of injuries No. of injuries Type of injuries1 2 More Moderate 1 2 More Heavy

M

0-6 1 / / 1-injured head and backbone from a fall

/ / / / 1

7-10 7 1 1 7-bruses from a fall1-injured in fight1-injured in car crash

2 / / 1-broken legs1- car crash

11

11-14 13 4 1 6-injured in fights4- injuries-blue eyes3-injured in the traffic1-injured arm1-cuts

6 / 1 3-broken arm2-broken leg1-car crash

25

15-18 8 2 1 6-injured in fight4-car crash1-twisted

3 / / 2-broken leg1-broken ribs

14

Z

0-6 1 / / 1-injured arm 1 / / 1-broken arm 27-10 2 / / 2-injured arm / / / / 2

11-14 5 / / 2-injured arm1-injured nose1-injured leg1-injured in fight

1 / / 1-broken arm 6

15-18 1 / / 1-injured in fight 1 / / 1-raped 2

Total: 38 7 3 48 14 / 1 15 63

Review 1. Information on injured children on the streets

a) Moderate injuries b) Heavy injuries v) MurderedNo. of injured

children Type of injuries No. of injured

children Type of injuriesNo. of injured

children Type of injuries1 2 More 1 2 More 1 2 More

18 6 8

15-car crash/accident6-injured in fight4-injuries from a fall3-injured eye2-injured leg2-cuts

11 7 1

9-broken arm4-broken leg3-car crash/accident2-broken ribs1-injured in fight

3 / /

1-ran over by a car1-murder with knife1-murder with gun

However, in comparison with the number of surveyed children on the streets and

the threats from the traffic and other risks to which children are exposed on daily basis,

the number of children who received major injuries is relatively small, i.e. only 15 of the

surveyed received major injuries, while 48 had minor injuries. Injuries are not only

inflicted by physical assaults. One child, in fact, reported to have been a victim of rape

91

which indeed shows how alarming the problem is and points out to the necessity for

undertaking more efficient measures to remove the children from the streets.

Table No. 29 Spending the night on the streets, by category of children

Category of

children

Spending the night on the streets NO Total:YES

a) Often b) RarelyNumber Places Number Places

Children who beg

8

3- in the place where they beg

5-park/moll 32

14-wherever they will get by

204 244

4-park4- garage4-building entrance2-outhouse1-barn1-under a tree 1-moll1-bus station

Children in street services

7

4-park/moll

2-outhouse

1-railway station

9

4-park

86 1022-wherever they get by1-abandoned house1-railway station1-market

Children in the black

market

21-hen house

1-building entrance

11

3-bus station

141 1542-railway station2-abandoned house2-moll2-park

Total: 17 52 431 500

Other problems related to children spending the night on the streets, on the places

where they spent the day or very close to those places, out of need or because of having

no other choice. Children were able to point to 10 places where they would oftentimes (or

rarely) spend the night (Table No. 29). This is another evidence for their destroyed

childhood.

1.4.1.3. Dreams and visions of the children on the streets

92

Children on the streets are not fond of the life on the streets, but rather they accept

it because it is more attractive and more interesting than what they homes have to offer –

which means no basic conditions for family life.

Surrounded by the noise and dynamics of the city life, their dreams and visions

seem reduced only to wishes, without any strength and knowledge how to make them

come true. The visions for better life are frequently mixed with the cruel realities, in

which every step represents an obstacle and becomes a vicious circle with no way out.

Nonetheless, we need to offer them a hand of hope and security that the steps that need to

be taken will lead them to a better future.

In the research, the visions of the children on the streets were mainly focused on

three areas: longing for warm and pleasant home (with basic conditions for decent life);

desire for satisfaction of their basic needs; and wish to have a proper childhood.

Under the influence of the TV programmes, the understanding of the life they see

from the “street” perspective and the intellectual and social capacity to identify the

problems and seek solutions, they are oftentimes torn apart between their wishes and the

real possibilities. That is the way how their days pass, they become older and life throws

them into ever more challenges and responsibilities.

93

Table No. 30 Dreams and visions for near future, by category of children

Dreams and visions for near future

Category of children Total: Children who beg

Children in street

services

Children in the black

marketTo be rich 50(47%) 26(24%) 31(29%) 107(100%)To find employment 40(42%) 23(24%) 32(34%) 95(100%)To have nice food 37(65%) 10(17,5%) 10(17,5%) 57(100%)To have beautiful house 18(44%) 15(36,5%) 8(19,5%) 41(100%)To be educated 16(40%) 15(37,5%) 9(22,5%) 40(100%)To have nice clothes 18(60%) 7(23%) 5(17%) 30(100%)To go abroad 4(16%) 12(48%) 9(36%) 25(100)To become a musician 12(52%) 6(26%) 5(22%) 23(100%)To be happily married and have my own family

13(65%) 5(25%) 2(10%) 20(100%)

To have decent living conditions 8(54%) 5(33%) 2(13%) 15(100%)To become a football player 6(40%) 2(13%) 7(47%) 15(100%)To become a hair-dresser 8(62%) 2(15%) 3(23%) 13(100%)To become a salesman 6(46%) 2(15%) 5(39%) 13(100%)To have my own store 1(8%) 4(33%) 7(59%) 12(100%)To become a dress maker 7(70%) 2(20%) 1(10%) 10(100%)To work in the City Communal Service 5(50%) 1(10%) 4(40%) 10(100%)To become a singer 3(33%) 3(33%) 3(33%) 9(100%)Not to beg anymore 9(100%) 0% 0% 9(100%)To learn to read and write 3(37,5%) 2(25%) 3(37,5%) 8(100%)To become a mechanic 5(71%) 2(29%) 0% 7(100%)To finish eight grade 6(86%) 1(14%) 0% 7(100%)To become a diver 3(50%) 1(16,5%) 2(3,5%) 6(100%)To become a good person 3(50%) 2(33,5%) 1(16,5%) 6(100%)To be healthy and sound 2(40%) 1(20%) 2(40%) 5(100%)Not to be so poor 3(40%) 1(40%) 1(20%) 5(100%)To work with computers 2(20%) 2(60%) 1(20%) 5(100%)To become a doctor 1(20%) 3(60%) 1(20%) 5(100%)To travel around the world as a tourist 2(40%) 0% 3(60%) 5(100%)To become a barber 1(25%) 1(25%) 2(50%) 4(100%)To become a policeman 3(75%) 0% 1(20%) 4(100%)To get married with rich man/woman 1(25%) 2(50%) 1(25%) 4(100%)To go in army 2(50%) 1(25%) 1(25%) 4(100%)To have my own car 0% 1(33,5%) 2(66,5%) 3(100%)To become an auto-mechanic 1(33%) 1(33%) 1(33%) 3(100%)To train sport 2(66,5%) 1(33,5%) 0% 3(100%)To become a businessman 0% 1(33,5%) 2(66,5%) 3(100%)To become a baker 1(50%) 0% 1(50%) 2(100%)To become a taxi driver 1(%50) 1(50%) 0% 2(100%)To become a teacher 2(100%) 0% 0% 2(100%)To become an artist 1(50%) 0% 1(50%) 2(100%)To be taken care of 2(100%) 0% 0% 2(100%)My father not to drink 0% 1(50%) 1(50%) 2(100%)To finish faculty 0% 0% 2(100%) 2(100%)To enrol in secondary school 0 1(50%) 1(50%) 2(100%)To become a trader 0% 0% 2(100%) 2(100%)To have my own stand 0% 0% 2(100%) 2(100%)

94

The visions are directed towards solutions, commonly seen as follows: making

plans for getting married by emigration in the Western European countries, America or

Australia, looking for a job in the car-wash services, unskilled jobs in the private sector,

delivery and unloading of goods on the market or the large shopping malls, washing and

maintenance of graves and other activities for a small, but regular income.

The education for this category of children is of little interest as the way to getting

a diploma implies for them years of regular studies, which they cannot understand and

perform.

A growing number of children on the streets try to seek their better future by

joining religious sects, which are increasingly present in the areas where they live. The

religious organisations frequently engage in programmes to attract the poorest, and hence

a potential threat for misuse of the children arises.

Graphic presentation No. 30a) Dreams and visions for near future, by category of children

The dreams and the vision of the children on the streets shown on Table No. 30

and Graphic presentations 30a), 30b) and 30c) refer more to the wish of the children to

have the same standard of living as they people they meet on the streets, from whom they

beg money or for whom they perform their services. Thus, frequently the wishes and

50

26

31

40

23

32

37

1010

18

15

8

1615

9

18

7 5 4

129

12

6 5

13

52

852

6

2

7

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Number of children

Dreams and visions for near future

Children who begChildren in strert servicesChildren in the black market

To b

e ric

h

To fi

nd

empl

oym

ent

To h

ave

nice

fo

od

To h

ave

beau

tiful

ho

use

To b

e ed

ucat

ed

To h

ave

nice

cl

othe

s

To g

o ab

road

To b

ecom

e a

mus

icia

n

To b

e ha

ppily

m

arrie

d an

d

have

my

own

fam

ily

To h

ave

dice

nt li

ving

co

nditi

ons

To b

ecom

e a

foot

ball

play

er

95

visions for them are to be rich, to have a nice house, clothes, to earn well and have

enough to eat. These wishes are reflective of their idea about the quality of life of the

people they meet every day. However, they are not aware of the way how to reach those

goals.

Graphic presentation No. 30b) Dreams and visions for near future, by category of children

Graphic presentation No. 30c) Dreams and visions for near future, by category of children

8

23

6

25

147 7

21

5

14 3 33

9

00323

5

20

6

1031 2

3 21 21 2311 221 131 2

03112

3010

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Number of children

Dreams and visions for near future

Children who begChildren in street servicesChildren in the black market

a ha

ir-dr

esse

r

a sa

lesm

an

my

own

stor

e

a

dre

ss m

aker

C

omm

unal

se

rvic

e

a si

nger

Not

to b

eg

anym

ore

read

and

writ

e

a

mec

hani

c

fin

ish

8 gr

ade

a

dive

r

a

good

per

son

To b

e he

alth

y a

nd so

und

N

ot

to b

e so

poo

r

co

mpu

ter

a d

octo

r

trave

l rou

nd th

e w

orld

as

a to

uris

t

a ba

rber

a

polic

eman

96

To the question how they can make their wishes for better life come true, they suggested professions for which they can realistically be trained, such as, for example: hairdresser, shop assistant, tailors, cleaners, drivers, chimney cleaners, mechanics, barbers, policemen, laundry services etc. (Table and Graphic presentation No. 31)

Table No. 31 Attractive professions for children, by category of children

Attractive professions for children Category of children Total: Children who

beg Children in

street servicesChildren in the black market

Musician 17(50%) 10(29%) 7(21%) 34(100%)Hair-dresser 20(59%) 8(24%) 6(17%) 34(100%)Football player 10(37%) 5(19%) 12(44%) 27(100%)Mechanic 11(42%) 10(38%) 5(20%) 26(100%)Salesman 8(33%) 3(13%) 13(54%) 24(100%)Dress maker 12(52%) 7(31%) 4(17%) 23(100%)Driver 10(45%) 7(32%) 5(23%) 22(100%)Auto-mechanic 7(32%) 5(23%) 10(45%) 22(100%)Trader 4(19%) 6(29%) 11(52%) 21(100%)Coop wood for heating 7(47%) 5(33%) 3(20%) 15!00%)Chimney-sweeper 5(50%) 5(50%) 0% 10(100%)Cleaner 8(89%) 1(11%) 0% 9(100%)Singer 3(37,5%) 2(25%) 3(37,5%) 8(100%)Barber 1(14%) 3(43%) 3(43%) 7(100%)Policeman 5(72%) 1(14%) 1(14%) 7(100%)Worker in City Comunal Service 3(44%) 1(14%) 3(42%) 7(100%)Collector of old iron 7(100%) 0% 0% 7(100%)Metal worker 4(66%) 1(17%) 1(17%) 6(100%)Computer nerd 3(50%) 2(33%) 1(17%) 6(100%)

1 2 121 1 01

2 1 11 2 1 0 0 12 101 1 10

20 0

10 1200 0 11 0 0

2 01 1002

002 2

00200

2000

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Number of children

Dreams and visions for near future

Children who begChildren in the street servicesChildren in the black masrket

To m

arre

d w

ith ri

ch

man

/wom

an

To g

o in

arm

y

To h

ave

my

ow

n ca

r

a a

vtom

echa

nc

To tr

ain

spor

t

a bu

sine

ssm

en

a b

aker

a ta

xi d

river

a te

ache

r

an a

rtist

T

o be

take

n c

are

of

My

fath

er

not t

o dr

ink

To fi

nish

Fa

culty

To e

nrol

in

Seco

ndar

y sc

hool

a tra

der

To h

ave

my

ow

n st

and

a

coac

hman

To b

e po

pula

r

To c

ontin

ye

begg

ing

97

Doctor 1(17%) 3(50%) 2(33%) 6(100%)Smith 3(75%) 1(25%) 0% 4(100%)Electrician 2(50%) 0% 2(50%) 4(100%)Coachman 2(67%) 0% 1(33%) 3(100%)Teacher 3(100%) 0% 0% 3(100%)Tailor 1(33%) 1(33%) 1(33%) 3(100%)Joiner 0% 1(33%) 2(67%) 3(100%)Builder 1(33%) 1(33%) 1(33%) 3(100%)Baker 1(50%) 0% 1(50%) 2(100%)Taxi driver 1(50%) 1(50%) 0% 2(100%)Artist 1(50%) 0% 1(50%) 2(100%)Nurse 1(50%) 0% 1(50%) 2(100%)Shoemaker 2(100%) 0% 0% 2(100%)Bycicle repairer 1(50%) 1(50%) 0% 2(100%)Beg maker 2(100%) 0% 0% 2(100%)Auto-polisher 2(100%) 0% 0% 2(100%)Auto-tin man 0% 1(50%) 1(50%) 2(100%)

All these professions are familiar to them as they meet people in their daily lives

who are involved in those activities. Nonetheless, the accomplishment of the wishes is far

from their realistic possibilities. Left on their own devices, they are not able to follow the

road of education, which would potentially lead to obtaining a diploma and get

employment.

Graphic No. 31a) Attractive professions for children, by category of children

17

10

7

20

86

10

5

121110

5

8

3

1312

7

4

10

75

7

5

10

46

11

7

5

3

55

0

8

10

3231

3 35

11

3

1

3

7

0002468101214161820

Number of children

Musician

Hair-dresser

Football player

Mechanik

Salesman

Dress maker Drive

r

Automechanik

Trider

Coop wood for heating

Chimny-sweep

Cleaner Singe

rBarber

Policeman

Worker in Comunal service

Collector of old iron

Attractive professions for children

Children who begChildren in street servicesChildren in the black market

98

This data should push the teachers in the schools, the volunteers in the

nongovernmental organizations, in the institutions where they move in, on big

drawings and paintings to be presented people which do the crafts and the

professions and underneath the pictures also in a picturesque way, and with big

letters to explain the manner how to obtain the education and the degree. The social

workers in conversations with the children in the streets, since they learn their desire for

working, should take them to the concrete stores, shops, or institutions to meet the

people and to create a space for them to come there and to be included partly in the

job. Also, they can be included in suitable educations in the working universities, in

cooperation with the centers for social work and in the proximate structure of social

protection.

Graphic presentation No. 31b) Attractive professions for children, by category of children

The Table and Graphic presentation No. 32 present the crucial obstacles for the

children on the streets in terms of their inability to make their dreams come true. The

main explanation for that is the lack of education and the poor economic situation, i.e. the

lack of financial resources for them to pay to learn and acquire new skills. It is important,

4

11

321 1

323

10

2

0

22

01

3

0011101

21111

0111

0101

1012

00110

2

00

2

00 0112

00101

6

23

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Number of children

Metal worker

Computer nerd Doct

orSmith

Electrician

Coachman Teach

erTejlor

Joiner

Builder

Bakera

Taxi driver

Artist Nurse

Shoemaker

Bicikle repeirer

Begmaker

Auto-polisher

Auto tinman

Other

Attractive professions for children

Children who begChildren in street servicesChildren in the black market

99

nonetheless, that there seem to be interest, wish and even knowledge (as to what they can

do), in order for them to be saved from total vulnerability.

Table No. 32 Obstacles for children to perform the crafts/professions they are interested in, by category of children

Category of children

Obstacles for children to perform the crafts/professions they are interested in Total

a) I am not educated

b) I don't have

money to work that

v) I don't have money

for education

g) Forbi-

den

d) I am not employed

g)I am still

young

e)I am still studying

z)I don't have

an opportunity

Children who beg

95(53%) 30(17%) 28(16%) 6(3%) 4(2%) 12(7%) 1(0,5%) 2(1,5%) 178100%

Children in street services

49(53%) 31(33%) 7(7%) 1(1%) 1(1%) 2(2%) 2(2%) 1(1%) 94100%

Childrenin the black

market

34(32%) 37(35%) 18(17%) 1(1%) 3(3%) 5(5%) 5(5%) 2(2%) 105100%

Total: 178(48%) 98(26%) 53(14%) 8(2%) 8(2%) 19(5%) 8(2%) 5(1%) 377100%

Graphic presentation No. 32 Obstacles for children to perform the crafts/professions they are interested in, by category of children

The Centres for Social Work should cooperate with the relevant institutions

in order to assist the children on the streets and offer them a second chance to get

elementary education in order for them to be able to perform some of the

95

49

34 303137

28

7

18

61 1

41 3

12

25

1 25 2 1 2

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Number of children

I am not educated

I don't have money to work that

I don't have money for education

Forbiden

I am not employed

I am young

I am still studing

I don't have an opportunity

Obstacles for children to perform crafts/professions they are interested in

Children who begChildren in street servicesChildren in the black market

100

aforementioned activities. Those institutions include the following: workers’

universities (nearly each town in the R. Macedonia has such an institution), the schools,

religious elementary school (Makarenko), municipal educational centres,

neighbourhood communities etc. We have also learnt that the mosques organise

vocational training courses, which also cover children on the streets from ethnic Albanian

background.

It is recommendable that the Centres for Social Work along with the relevant

municipal institutions to get actively involved in establishing relations between the

children on the streets (including their families) and the relevant institutions where they

can get information about the required education for a specific job.

Although this process is seemingly easy and simple, it requires persistence and

will on the part of the professionals in terms of adequate and realistic inclusion of the

children on the streets in the educational and professional life, aimed to fulfil the wishes

of the children and alleviate and eventually fully eliminate this negative social

phenomenon and social disgrace.

1.4.2. Assessment of the insights of professionals from the Centers for Social Work and non-governmental organizations into the situation and possibilities for improvement of the quality of social welfare of children on the streets

The study includes a qualitative analysis of the data obtained through interviews

and polling of professionals working at the Centers for social work in 14 cities in the

Republic of Macedonia, as well as employees of relevant NGO projects.

The people involved in this analysis have many years of experience working with

vulnerable populations, including children on streets. They took part in the polling of the

children on the streets, and made significant contributions to the effort to overcome this

harmful phenomenon.

At the beginning of the interview, the professionals agreed that the children on

streets are the poorest of the poor. Most of their families are beneficiaries of regular

financial assistance, and in some instances also of one-time cash assistance. The amounts

of these benefits are paltry, below even the basic subsistence minimum. Opportunities for

extra work for the parents are minimal (other than seasonal farm work: pruning of vines

101

an picking grapes, planting and picking tobacco, picking fruit, planting rice, removing

weeds from rice fields etc.), for minimal wages.

Thus, for many of them, the street is the only realistic solution for acquiring the

money for basic subsistence. Occasionally, the daily amount collected is higher than

usual, and this frequently results in inappropriate and erratic spending.

The professionals also stated that this category of children is not, for the most

part, attracted to the idea of spending the day in the parental homes due to the

substandard quality of the dwellings, having only few (1-2) rooms, lack of basic hygiene

and sanitary conditions, but also the lack of effort on the part of the parents and the older

children to make the home environment more comfortable. Often the parents are the ones

least interested in improving the home, which is frequently caused by their mental

structure (mental illness or retardation), lack of education or illiteracy, alcohol addiction

or more severe illnesses or disabilities.

Realistically, the parents of these children are usually difficult for direct

cooperation, in terms of their obligations in the home and care for the children. They limit

their efforts to only the most elementary care for their children age 5 and younger, as

these children could not survive on their own; nevertheless, there is parental love in these

relations, which has the effect of making the children feel confident and resilient in the

struggle for basic survival. There are some efforts to place some of the children on

streets, especially children of single mothers, in institutions, but some of them voluntarily

return to their families (the mother, grandparents etc.) after a period of stay in the home

for children without parental care.

Roma families, which is the ethnic origin of most of the children on streets, have

difficulties adapting to new housing (even when they are offered apartments) if that

housing is outside their community (e.g. they sell the apartments and go back to the

makeshift dwellings in the communities where they have lived).

From conversations with the professionals in the Centers for social work and the

non-government sector (having a working tradition of more than 10 years), there is an

impression that the problem of children on streets and their families is not neglected, nor

that there is lack of research (project in the Institute for Social Affairs and UNICEF-

funded nongovernmental organizations, projects of the Open Society Institute, UNDP and

102

others). Nevertheless, despite these activities, the professionals polled concluded that the

children on the streets and their families are growing into a separate segment of

vulnerable population with particular characteristics and attributes.

The interviewees also indicated a need for more involvement of professionals

from the state and nongovernmental sector in the drafting of the laws for welfare

protection (including amendments and regulations), the Law on Child Protection and the

Family Law. Although they have access to the debates about the laws, their participation

is a superficial, non-transparent formality.

As most of the children-on-streets population is comprised of ethnic Roma

children, in recent years there have been established a large number of Roma

nongovernmental organizations with programs and projects focused on improving the

quality of education, organizing the free time and quality of life of the Roma children.

As for the ethnic Albanian, Turkish and Macedonian population, the number of

nongovernmental organizations working on programs for poor children, including this

category of children, is comparatively lower. We assume that the reason for this is that

Roma organizations have a better chance to attract projects.

The nongovernmental organizations involve mainly young people, who actively

work in programs and appropriate projects; e.g. Day Center for Children and Youth

organized by the nongovernmental organizations has been in operation since 1997

(Center for Children and Youth in Suto Orizari) and 2000 (Dendo Vas in the Novoselski

Pat community etc). Those nongovernmental organizations where the implementers and

leaders of the activities have secondary or higher education demonstrate visible results,

but there are NGOs where the employees lack educational qualifications, which impedes

their work. The NGO Roma Verzitas (branch of the Open Society Institute) and other

foundations in the Republic of Macedonia would do well to implement a policy of

educational mobility and monitor the educational capacities of the Roma

nongovernmental sector, primarily the people working with children and youth.

We propose that state and NGO institutions should implement continued

education programs for professional work with children on streets, build a cooperation

network and collaborate more closely on the actual activities.

103

1.4.2.1. Models of work with children on the streets

A. Existing models of work with children on the streets

Knowledge of models of social and educational work with children on streets is

quite significant, as the model represents the entire structure of agents acting in a given

area, with a defined population. In the search for solutions for overcoming of the social

endangerment of children on streets, we may differentiate among multiple models with

specific characteristics.

- In this vein, if our criterion is the sector which organizes the activities, we have

a model of care for children on streets organized by the state and model of care

organized by the nongovernmental sector.

- With respect to the basic ways of acquisition of money by the children on

streets there are 3 models of children on streets: model of children who beg, children who

offer services, and children who resell products on the gray market (evading payment of

taxes), banned products or discarded commodity materials (usually paper, cardboard and

scrap metal).

- With respect to the organization of the presence on the street we may

differentiate between: model of individual presence, model of family presence and model

of presence in peer groups.

All three proposed models should be studied by professionals in order to obtain

insights into the functioning of the members in the model, propose cooperation with

professionals and find opportunities and forms for reducing or eliminating this negative

phenomenon.

- The model of care for children on streets by the state has the longest

tradition. This model was prevalent in the period of the former Yugoslavia. The main

characteristic of the model was cooperation with the police and placing the children on

streets into institutions like “11 Oktomvri”, “25 maj” and "Ranka Milanovik”. Ailing

parents, primarily those with mental illnesses, tuberculosis etc., were removed from the

families and placed in mental and other hospitals, and the children were placed in the “11

Oktomvri” home or in foster families. Most of the population was employed, and in

addition to wages and salaries, they also received health and pension insurance, as well as

104

access to credit at favorable terms for construction of modest housing units. With the fall

of socialism and the disintegration of Yugoslavia, in 1991 the situation took a sharp turn

towards increasing poverty, with an attendant rise in the number of beneficiaries of

welfare assistance.

At the end of 2004, under the influence of trends of helping the poorest, the

Ministry of labor and Social Policy opened a Day Center for children on streets as part of

the inter-municipal Center for Social Work in Skopje. This institution, which was some

time in the planning, is a model for social-protective work with the children on streets.

The main goal of the Day Center for children on streets is social inclusion,

abandonment of the streets and inclusion of the children on streets into the mainstream of

society, in cooperation with their families.

Specific goals and objectives of the Center are:

- provision of conditions for satisfaction of the basic needs of the children;

- mitigation of the consequences of the hazardous way of life;

- motivation for involvement in schoolwork;

- help in studying for school students;

- structuring and organizing the day;

- development of cognitive and creative potential;

- strengthening the resilience, self-confidence and awareness of children’s rights;

- health awareness and care for one’s own health;

- developing hygiene habits;

- helping children build a positive self-image, attitude towards others, the school

and life in general.

The target group are children in the 6-15 age group, and the capacity is 20-30

children per day, grouped by age and interests/affinities.

The activities and interventions of the Center are as follows:

- Organizing meals for the children;

- Provision of clothing and footwear for the children;

- Provision of conditions for personal hygiene;

- Registration in the birth registry and acquisition of birth certificate;

- Provision of health insurance for the uninsured;

105

- Monitoring of the health conditions, vaccination (in cooperation with health

institutes);

- Programs for motivating children and parents to get involved in the education

process;

- Enrollment of children for regular attendance in primary school;

- Monitoring and assistance in studying and school lessons;

- Organizing free activities;

- Organizing visits to cultural and entertainment events;

- Organizing recreational activities;

- Computer skills training;

- Education about the rights of children;

- Visits to the children’s homes with psycho-social support to the parents;

- Education of volunteers for psycho-social intervention;

- Organizing donation drives for the needs of the children.

- Model of care for children on streets by the nongovernmental sector is

usually implemented through project funding (UNICEF, MCIC, Open Society Institute,

Embassies in the Republic of Macedonia).

The attractiveness of funding of projects for poor children, where Roma children

are most numerous, increased the number of Roma NGOs. The lack of professional

experience in organizing the residents and the knowledge that NVO employees make

significant financial gains reduced the cohesion among activists and led to fragmentation

and an increase in the number of NGOs serving the Roma population. Nonetheless, in

recent years there have been closures of the unproductive NGOs and networking among

the dominant ones. The nongovernmental sector has the ambition and enthusiasm for

direct program work with the poorest segments, especially children. It is characteristic for

this model that the NGO sector usually works on previously approved donor programs.

Although they do not have specific programs for children on streets, the Centers for

Children and Youth welcome poor children with: programs for support and assistance

with schoolwork, organized activities for use of the free time and parallel education

(computer courses and English language courses), arts-and-culture, sports and recreation.

106

The main drawback of this model is the poor quality or the temporary use of the premises

where the Centers for Children and Youth operate.

Also, often times the education level of the implementers of projects and

programs is below the suitable level. It should be emphasized that they attend many

seminars and demonstrate interest in acquiring more knowledge, but still the educational

capacity of regular secondary and higher education is a significant indicator of the quality

of the work.

These Centers should find room for implementation of direct educational and

social work with school staff and parents. It would be desirable to implement individual

approaches in working with families or house visits, with campaigns to improve the

quality of housing

With regard to the model related to activities of the children on streets we

have: model of children who beg, model of children who perform services in the street

and model of children who sell products on the streets.

There are some common characteristics among the children from all three

models: they spend many hours on the streets, they are poor and in most cases do not

attend school. Each model has its specifics. Knowledge of the structure of these models

helps professionals and volunteers in the process of making first contact, communication

and seeking solutions for the overcoming of their problems.

The model of children who beg has the following characteristics: as the "poorest

of the poor" they live day-to-day (i.e. spend the money as they get it), they are satisfied

with income sufficient for basic subsistence, usually for themselves but also for their

families. The street is their source of income, home and an opportunity to spend their free

time. There is a hierarchy of relations among the children, whereby younger children are

dependent and exploited by older children.

This category of children are at the pre-school or elementary school age, they beg

with their parents, under duress and control of the parents, with frequent parental abuse

(they are left alone for hours on the streets, sitting or sleeping on cardboard sheets). Also,

they are usually poorly dressed and unkempt (made to look poor). It seems that this way

of life has been chosen by the parent. The families have accepted it and are resistant to its

problems. Hence, the technical work is quite demanding. It takes organized and persistent

107

work motivated by appropriate solutions to improve the quality of life, primarily with the

mothers, but also with the fathers. In this area there has been no social or educational

work done with the fathers, concerning their role, activities and prospects in the care for

their offspring (some NGOs have programs for work with the mothers).

The model of children who perform services on the street is very close to the

previous model, with certain specific characteristics. These are usually boys aged 14-18

who clean the windshields of cars stopped at traffic lights, and ask for money for this

service, or wash parked cars in parking lots using buckets of water etc. This model also

includes children who wash shop windows help in loading/unloading cargo, shine shoes

in the street, help find parking for vehicles, wash headstones at cemeteries. These

children are in the street unaccompanied by parents – usually in peer groups. They do not

attend schools and they spend their earnings for their own needs. This model requires

expert social work with youths, involvement in adult education or work that may grow

into a future occupation (barber, chimney cleaner, car mechanic, utility worker etc),

which they objectively see as a future prospect, as they are aware that there is no future in

street activities. Many of these children are abused by the criminal structures in the city

and used in the commission of crimes, because children at this age are not punished by

jail but by reform measures. Some of these children are referred (upon conviction of a

felony) to the Center for Social Work at the “25 maj” or “Ranka Milanovik” institutions

in. The capacity and regime of stay in these institutions is time-limited and the children

do not see any prospects that the stay in these institutions might help them acquire

qualifications for better and safer life in the future.

Many children on streets at this age see their future in leaving the Republic of

Macedonia illegally, and this is related to their involvement in criminal structures in the

Balkan states and Western Europe.

The model of children on streets who sell products also has some specific

characteristics. This category of children is usually older – higher grades of primary

school, mostly ages 14-18. The motive for involvement in this activity is poverty. They

earn not only for themselves for but their families as well. The reselling, selling of paper

or scrap iron is organized by older persons who are frequently members of criminal

structures who abuse the children’s age and poverty. The children usually do not attend

108

school, as they are forced to sell their merchandise during the day so that they can earn a

small amount of money. In this model there is not only the need to make money, but also

the abuse by mafia-like structures and bosses. Bit by bit, the children in this category

become hostages and subservient to mafia groups, getting drawn deeper into the dark

waters of crime.

Unlike the previous two models, the model of children who sell is characterized

by ethnic diversity of the children: Roma, a significant percentage of Albanians, Turks

and Macedonians. To become a member of a group trading in the black market, the

children have to be “known”, i.e. where they live, which family they are from, and even

in some cases cooperation from their parents is sought. This category of children is

disciplined with respect to their superiors and is afraid of the police.

Expert social work with children from this model requires cooperation with the

police and educational/counseling work with found members of the city criminal

structures, as well as education of inmates in juvenile detention facilities and penal

institutions (prisons), in order to raise awareness of the criminal responsibility for abuse

of children and youth and responsibility for children’s lives and behavior.

Programs for children on streets should always involve the parents of these

children, in the form of education about the dangers of joining criminal groups, but also

about the prospects of education and professional advancement of their children.

Programs for resocialization of the children and parents (especially fathers)

should have individual specific characteristics for all three models. The work in each

model should be conducted primarily by the state institutions, working with the

nongovernmental sector. The Day Centers for children on streets, within the Centers for

Social Work, should be supported by the NGO sector, the Red Cross and municipal

structures. Each Day Center should have individual characteristics, specific programs and

activities, including maintenance of a database and other facilities that will enable

efficient work of the professionals and volunteers and results in the resocialization of the

children on streets.

B. Desired models of work with children on the streets

109

In the part of the study that deals with existing models of protection of the

children on streets and models of activities for children on streets, we include critiques as

an inseparable part of the whole, as well as recommendations about future work. We

believe that desired models, constructed according to the opinions and positions of the

polled professionals, should be presented here.

With respect to improvement of the state models of care for children on streets,

the professionals have made the following suggestions:

1) The day centers for children on streets should be serving not only that category

of children but to include a wider scope of children from the place where children on

streets live, i.e. the Centres should not be stigmatized by negative connotations;

2) Any municipality that has information about risks to children should initiate

and support the implementation of forms of day care, primarily by provision of proper

premises;

3) Programs for the Day Centres for children on streets should be prepared by an

expert team of professionals who have studied the situation, needs and possible prospects

of the children on streets;

4) Inclusion of programs for work wit parents and supporting activities (clothing,

food, toiletry and cleaning products) for:

- maintaining the household;

- responsibility and attitude in the care of their children;

- cooperation with the school and other public institutions (representatives of

these institutions should make appearances);

5) Making space available for designated crisis shelters offering accommodation

for a few days;

6) Coverage of these children with organized summer holidays, winter holidays

and field trips;

7) Combining the work in the Day Centres between the government and

nongovernmental sector (the state centers should involve project-funded volunteers,

while the nongovernmental sector should involve state staff – e.g. professionals in

programs for preschool education of Roma children);

8) Involvement of the children on streets in sports and cultural associations;

110

9) Establishment of mobile teams for work with children on streets, as part of the

Center.

1.4.2.2. Forms of work with parents of children on the streets

In conversations with the professionals involved in the study, it was

unambiguously pointed out that the procedure for organizing forms of cooperation and

working with the parents of children on streets is needed and significant for successful

implementation.

It was pointed out that the most important collaboration is with the parents whose

children beg alone or accompanied by parents. These are usually young parents under the

age of 30, in many cases it is only the single mother. If a father is present, he usually lives

off the wife’s and children’s money. Initiating cooperation with this category of parents is

very difficult. On one hand they don’t want or accept any cooperation, and even when

they do get involved they are extremely suspicious about any possibility that they can be

helped. Their first move in meetings is an expression of their poverty and asking for

specific aid. They complain about the quality of their dwellings, house furnishings (e.g.

they all sleep on foam slabs on the floor), lack of money for basic supplies or for

treatment for a sick child. Also, the initially established cooperation is fickle and can be

easily broken.

If these needs are not satisfied in advance (preventively) or some assistance is not

offered in satisfying these needs it will be very difficult to implement the other forms. To

help overcome these difficulties, a body should be established, comprising

representatives of the parents, municipal officials, representatives of Centers for Social

Work, NGOs and the Red Cross, Day Centers for children on streets etc.

We propose parent education to be implemented through different types of

programs:

1.4.2.2.1. Education programs for parents contain the following topics:1) Education for an orderly home, economizing with money and supplies, food

preparation, personal hygiene and laundry;

2) On-the-job education, opportunity for completion of incomplete education

(elementary, vocational, secondary);

111

3) Responsible parenting education.

Education can be individual or group-oriented. Individual work is best done by

house visits conducted by social or health worker, consultants and advisors, mobile team

work with parents.

We propose to organize group work with parents with an advance plan,

invitations, in decent premises, close to their place of residence, with using video

materials, serving coffee or tea, if possible offer hygiene products as a form of attracting

attendees. Conversation and education should be followed by discussion with the parents,

directing them to the tasks ahead. Specific steps and activities are proposed for these

goals, with an emphasis on the importance of their children’s success in studying and

professional work.

An important form of improving parenting, in the opinion of professionals, is the

implementation of

1.4.2.2.2. Social programs for work with parentsSocial programs comprise activities by the parents themselves, their children,

together with the teams of the social care service.

The services should assist in obtaining personal documents: birth certificate, marriage

certificate, citizenship certificate, ID card, health insurance.

Also, social programs for children on streets should be included in awarding

regular cash benefits or other entitlements.

Improvement of the quality of housing is part of social programs. These programs

should first register those families whose dwellings fail to fulfill even the most basic

construction or living conditions, as well as lack of home furnishings.

Regular home visits and mobile teams for assistance should be part of the

fieldwork.

However, we propose the following programs as the starting point and important

prerequisite for professional work:

1.4.2.2.3. Programs for encouraging understanding and cooperation between the

parents of children on streets and professionals in the social, health and education

112

institutions. This will include education of the spouses (through brief seminars) about

marital duties, married life, care for children, family planning, customs, cultural events

and celebrations.

To improve the family life, the following programs will be important:

1.4.2.2.4. Programs for improvement of the household economics

The Roma woman and mother lives in the most severe poverty, yet tries to

provide a warm meal for the family at least once a day. The way to achieve this is

traditional motherly wisdom, instinct and experience. Still, an improvement of the

economics of the household is highly desired by the mothers.

In this study we propose several forms of education of the parents for

improvement of household economics, as follows:

- education for (commercial) residential cleaning;

- education for operating an open-air market stand;

- education for growing vegetables, domestic birds etc.

We propose that the economics education should contain an incentive component,

i.e. employment or income opportunity.

1.4.3. General conclusions and recommendations from the field research

1.4.3.1. Conclusions from the research (conducted) with the children on streets

1.4.3.1.1. Basic statistical indicators of the situation with children on streets in the

Republic of Macedonia, with characteristics of the family and homes where they live

1) Most children on streets in the Republic of Macedonia reside in Skopje -

49% of the total examined population.

2) Among other cities in the Republic of Macedonia, most children on streets

are from Prilep, Stip, Bitola and Gostivar. Children who beg in Gostivar usually come

113

from other cities, and only on certain days of the week. Children beg in cities outside

their places of residence.

3) With respect to age, the children on streets are usually on their own or with

peers aged 6-18, while those aged 5 and younger are with their mothers.

4) With respect to sex, most children on streets are male, in the ages 11-18. Those

aged 11-14 mostly beg, while those aged 15-18 shift to making money by reselling

products. Girls usually start to beg around age 14.

5) With respect to ethnic affiliation, most children on streets are Roma, but there

are also ethnic Albanian, Macedonian and other children. Ethnic Albanian children are

more involved in street vending.

6) Housing conditions for this category of children are extremely inappropriate

and are an important indicator of their vulnerability; these conditions induce these

children to spend most of the day on the streets.

7) The presence of the children on streets is often encouraged and supported

by their parents.

8) With respect to family size, most children live in families with 5-6 members

from multiple marriages, usually with the same mother, but the average is 3-4 children in

young families.

9) The education of the children on streets is threatened. A high percentage of

school-age children do not attend school. Also, a significant percentage of children on

streets (52%) have dropped out of elementary education.

10) The main obstacle to school attendance is poverty, lack of basic conditions

for studying at home, as well as street activity as the sole money-earning option. It should

also be noted that many of them see no use or benefit from studying.

Recommendations

A. Housing risk

As the highest risk for the children on streets is associated with the poor quality of

construction of the dwellings, with cramped space, insufficient furnishings and poor

114

hygiene, the first recommendation is for assistance in securing dwellings that meet the

standards for basic living conditions. This will require:

1) Registration of the families at highest risk;

2) Installation or construction of low-cost housing in the communities where

these families reside, in cooperation with the municipalities and donors (with a legal

restriction that these units cannot be resold). We recommend, with modest funding, some

of the army prefabricated structures and buildings to be relocated and adapted as

housing units by the municipality, primarily in the Roma municipalities.

3) There is a necessity to construct basic street infrastructure (paved roads,

water supply and sewer network) with waste containers (which should be regularly

emptied).

4) Urgent and mandatory implementation of regulations for relocation of

landfills from the Roma settlements, or the Roma settlements from the landfills.

B. Economic risk

1) Most of the families of the children on streets live on welfare benefits, which

is minimal and insufficient for a sustainable livelihood. To survive, these families need

additional money, which they usually obtain by begging. We propose that the

municipalities, independently or through projects, organize small companies for washing

cars, cleaning of streets, parks, zoos and open markets, thus affording opportunities for

part-time or full-time employment, for at least one member of the family.

2) In Roma settlements and other poverty-stricken areas, we propose soup

kitchens to operate free (or for minimal fee) for 1-2 hours per day, in order to provide

elementary nutrition of the residents of the community.

3) As part of the effort to find ways to satisfy basic subsistence needs, we propose

organizing education focused on providing elementary qualifications for employment.

C. Health risk

115

1) The municipality should provide enabling conditions for opening of outpatient

clinics in all communities, including those where the poorest population lives, by

involving volunteer doctors, house visits performed by doctors in the first year after

graduation or doctors who elect civilian service in lieu of military service. We propose

that they serve not only in the outpatient clinic, but also visit the families and conduct

counseling programs.

2) Medications for common ailments can be sent to the outpatient clinics and

then distributed to the children who may need them. We propose to obtain those

medications through donations or from the drug distributors, free of charge or at reduced

prices.

D. Education risk

1) The education risk of the children on streets is high. This makes the situation

deteriorate and expand. The work of the day centers should be supported, and the

opening of new centers should be encouraged, with opportunities for learning, active

use of the free time, implementing humanitarian activities and sports competitions.

2) The work programs of the day centers require cooperation with the schools

attended by the children, as well as education of the parents for addressing basic

livelihood needs and other difficulties they encounter. We also propose, as part of

these programs, a counseling service, which through direct contact will help guide them

in addressing basic needs and problems, as well as mobile teams of volunteers for social

work in the field.

3) We propose that the nongovernmental sector to increasingly seek to address

the most basic problems in the education of these children, as well as their parents.

4) The government and nongovernmental sector should collaborate in the

care for children on streets and build a common network.

1.4.3.1.2. Characteristics of life on the streets, i.e. the points of presence of these

children on streets

116

1) The street, i.e. points of presence are usually street crossroads (with traffic

lights), parking lots, open markets, shopping centers and other public areas where the

residents of the city congregate. Most of the children on streets beg in open markets (in

their native city or another city), on so-called “market days”, in shops, private residences.

2) The children are mobile, i.e. they don’t stay on the same spot on the street or

public area.

3) The money is earned by begging, rendering services (mostly cleaning of

windshields of vehicles), selling untaxed products or products banned from the markets,

collecting waste from garbage containers (food, paper, scrap iron) etc.

4) The children on streets linger alone, with friends, with their siblings, and there

are some children who are accompanied by their mothers. The fathers rarely, if ever, get

directly involved, although they often linger nearby.

5) Mothers are usually on the streets with their small (age 0-6) children, and feed

them in the street.

6) The motive for begging among the children on streets is justified by the need

for money, as they can’t get a single denar from their parents.

7) Time spent on the streets each day is quite long, i.e. from 08h to 16h and has a

negative impact on their health, education and social situation.

8) As for the total cumulative time on the streets, most children are on the street 2-

4 years, but a large percentage have spent 4 years (i.e. their entire childhood) on the

streets, which indicates deeply ingrained habits of begging and spending time outside the

home.

9) The earnings average 100-200 denars per day per child; multiplied 4-5 times

per week, for a monthly income of 3.200-4.000 denars, which is close to the monthly

amount of welfare benefit from the Centers for Social Work. This amount is not

negligible for satisfaction of basic needs.

10) The children on streets spend their money mostly on satisfying basic needs,

for individual purchases of food during the day and giving some of the money to their

parents at the end of the day. Some of the money is spent on entertainment.

117

11) Parents control most of the money earned by the children on streets. The

parents are in fact the dominant organizers and inducers. The children often beg on their

own initiative, while reselling is connected with parents or bosses.

12) The structure of the most difficult problems faced by the children on streets

includes long hours spent on the street in unfavorable climatic conditions (7-8 months

every year), exhaust gases from vehicles, lack of appropriate clothing and footwear,

human factors (threats from people – uniformed and those not in uniform) and brawls

among the children.

13) A fundamental characteristic of projects working with poor children is that

they are mostly short-term and organize only a few hours of activities over 2-3 days each

week. This involvement does not really affect the habit for street life – it just shortens the

time spent on the streets and partially directs the children towards schoolwork.

14) Injuries suffered by the children on streets usually come from brawls, injuries

inflicted by vehicles, and there are also some reports of rape and abuse.

1.4.3.1.3. Dreams and visions among the children on streets

1) The children on streets do not like life on the streets, but they accept it because their

homes fail to meet even basic conditions for family life;

2) They yearn for warm and pleasant family life;

3) They dream of marriage and finding work abroad;

4) They see their prospect for improving their quality of life in specific employment

opportunities, membership in sects etc.;

5) The main obstacles to the fulfillment of their visions are the lack of suitable education

and the poor economic situation.

1.4.3.1.4. Mapping

1) The children on streets in the Republic of Macedonia mostly live in their families, with

their parents.

118

2) The dwellings where these children live are found in settlements without minimal

infrastructure, rife with illegal construction using substandard materials

3) Most of the settlements where these children live are located at the city periphery, near

military barracks, slaughterhouses, rivers, even landfills

4) Families where these children come from prefer communities with residents who share

similar ethnic affiliation and economic status

5) Some families that seek seasonal work on farms move to the south of Macedonia in

winter, which implies a need for expert social and educational work in these areas in the

winter months.

Recommendations

1) We expect that the data from this part of the study will contribute to the

creation of direct programs and forms of support and assistance to the children on streets

towards an improved quality of life and abandonment of the street as a place for full-time

stay.

2) Locations where the children on streets circulate are usually known to the

competent services (Centers for Social Work) and NGOs. We propose that the experts

and volunteers visit these locations in order to establish contact (mobile services),

distribute leaflets and brochures, distribute warm meals and explain where the day

centre facilities are located (with an invitation to visit these facilities). The interaction

should be brief, understandable and attractive to the children, without intimidation or

obligation.

3) Holding brief seminars and consultations among professionals and

volunteers from the government and nongovernmental organizations, about the risks

faced by the children on streets, mapping and presentations of models of organizing and

direct work in daily centers and institutions, thus improving knowledge about the

possibilities for improving the quality of life, education and culture.

4) Invitation and inclusion of parents of the children on streets in "coffee

meetings" in schools, offices of NGOs and vocational schools, with offers of realistic

approaches to cooperation, income opportunities, education about responsible care

119

for children, presentation of clean and orderly homes of poor families, in a family-

friendly atmosphere, exchange of recipes for preparation of low-cost meals etc.

5) Inclusion of the children on streets with other children in summer resorts and

camps during the summer months.

6) Campaigning among workers, students and pupils for collection of

clothing, food, housewares and other donations to help the children and their families.

7) Organizing care arrangements by more affluent families interested and ready

to welcome these children into their homes on weekends and holidays.

8) Centers for Social Work and NGOs should organize Day centers for

children on streets, but these centers should also include other children from the

neighborhood, in order to stimulate interest for attendance and orientation towards

educational and sports activities. More detailed elaborations of the recommendations for

work in the day centers are given below:

Recommendations for Day centers for children on streets are divided into two

groups, from the viewpoint of the providers and from the viewpoint of clients of these

services and activities.

For the service providers we recommend:

1) To create a database of children on streets with basic data and regular visits

to the places of residence.

2) Support for opening of Day Centers for children on streets by the state,

municipalities and the nongovernmental sector;

3) Create a network of Day Centers for children on streets, including the

collaborating institutions (schools, sports clubs, arts-and-culture associations);

4) The teams of experts at the Centers should get involved in appropriate

education for preparation of programs for direct work with the children on streets;

5) Preparation of plans and programs for each activity, with availability of

didactic materials;

6) Cooperation with the mobile teams and the children on streets;

7) Organizing, inclusion and coverage of the children on streets at summer

resorts;

120

8) Organizing campaigns for collecting donated food and clothing for the

families of the children on streets;

9) Organizing weekly or monthly health checkups and treatment of the

children;

10) Organizing help and support for the children for:

a) preschool education

b) inclusion in the regular elementary school system

c) help in studying and homework

d) help in inclusion in parallel education (computers, musical instruments etc).

From the aspect of the children on streets, we propose:

1) Enabling easy and attractive access to the Centre (transport, leaflets etc);

2) Maintaining records of attendance each day, with no pressure for regular

attendance;

3) Every child in the Centre should feel at ease, in cooperation with the expert

teams;

4) Establish board or council of the children on streets and council of parents

of children on streets;

5) The day center should not be exclusively oriented towards coverage of

children on streets only;

6) Make public presentations of achievements and results;

7) The day center should have extensions in the settlements, in the branch

offices of the CSW or NGOs, where the poorest population lives;

8) Encourage the organizing of ceremonies and other events with participation

of these children.

9) Assistance in making longer-term plans for the families of the children on

streets, in order to overcome problems, with direct inclusion of social work.

10) More coverage should be achieved for this category of children, primarily in

primary education. The Family Law and the Law on Primary and Secondary

Education should be complemented by specific amendments which will increase the

criminal responsibility of the parents for not enrolling their children in schools and

strengthen monitoring. There is also a need for efficient and urgent involvement of

121

schools, classmates and the expert team as well as involvement of social workers in the

schools. The school should strive to achieve full coverage of school-age children; on the

other hand, it should create conditions for at-risk pupils to obtain quality educational

support and social protection.

11) Forms that could be used to strengthen the education capacities of the

children on streets include counseling work, popular practical lectures, sports and

entertainment activities, courses for training or retraining (household economics, hygiene,

trades, basic accounting etc).

12) Prevent (with police assistance) the criminal groups from abusing the

children on streets for their needs by investigation, questioning of the children and

sharp sanctions for the instigators. Also, if the parents (guardians) of the children on

streets are involved with or are part of the black market, they should be sharply

sanctioned (including education on parental responsibilities and duties).

13) Enable better inclusion of these children in organized use of the free time,

with opportunities to get warm meals, appropriate equipment and programs for attractive

and direct implementation of the activities.

14) Implementation of direct social work in the homes of the children on

streets in order to improve the knowledge and responsibility of the parents and

children concerning appropriate spending habits and encouraging orientation towards

legal employment opportunities.

15) Change the police treatment of the children on streets.

The implementation of these recommendations will impose a need for appropriate

premises and logistics (halls, workshops, club rooms etc.), for which we expect the

municipalities to demonstrate their consideration.

1.4.3.2. Conclusions from the assessment of the insights of professionals from the Centers for Social Work and nongovernmental organizations into the situation and possibilities for improving the quality of social care for the children on streets

1.4.3.2.1. Centres for Social Work are characterized by many years of

professional social work with vulnerable populations through the following forms of

actions:

122

- Awarding cash benefits

- Visits and supervision of families

- Placement in foster families

- Placement in institutions

- Health care for beneficiaries of welfare assistance

- Procurement of books and school supplies

- In-kind assistance (clothes etc).

1.4.3.2.2. The nongovernmental sector is active with programs for social

protection of the vulnerable population, including children on streets, since 1993, which

means it lacks a long tradition. The implementation of program content is usually

supported by projects of UNICEF, Open Society Institute, UNDP, MCIC and other

foundations, as well as some Western European embassies (Netherlands).

1) So far, representatives of the nongovernmental sector have been

insufficiently involved in the drafting of legal regulations.

2) Due to the large number of Roma NGOs, they should merge into larger

entities and connect into a network.

3) Young activists in the NGO sector should posses appropriate professional

and educational qualities.

4) There are no continued or specific programs aimed at working with

children on streets. These should soon become commonplace in almost all NGOs

working in Roma-inhabited areas or with the Roma people.

1.4.3.2.3. Models of working with children on streets

A. Existing models of care for the children on streets

Depending on the sector which organizes the care for children on streets we

have:

- model of care for the children on streets by the state; and

- model of care for the children on streets by the nongovernmental sector.

123

The model of care for children on streets by the state is characterized by the

following:

- Long tradition

- Implements social protection measures pursuant to the Law on Social Protection

- Organize Day Centre for the children on streets, as a novel significant form

- Development of direct social work on the streets

- Implements direct cooperation with schools.

The model of care for children on streets by the nongovernmental sector:

- No long tradition, but ambitious

- Does not work only with children on streets, but includes them in the programs

- Financing from project donors

- Experience and tradition working with the Children and Youth Centres for over

10 years

- Implementation of programs for direct work with parents (coffee meetings) and

family visits for over 10 years

- Direct cooperation with schools

- Opportunities to implement programs for pre-school children.

Depending on the category of children on streets, we differentiate three models:

- model of children who beg

- model of children who perform services on the streets

- model of children sell on the streets

B. Desired models of care and support for the children on streets

1) Centres for social work and NGOs should implement specialized programs

for the children on streets

2) Municipal authorities should demonstrate active and direct participation in

finding and implementing forms of care for the children on streets – day centres

3) More thorough approach in the preparation and implementation of

programs in the Day Centers for care for children on streets

4) Activation of mobile groups for street operations

5) Opening of crisis centers

124

6) Inclusion of the children on streets in institutional and non-institutional

social protection

7) Inclusion of the children on streets in programs of sports and arts-and-

culture associations.

1.4.3.2.4. Forms of working with parents of children on streets

A. Supporting educational forms of work with parents

1) Inclusion in the system of regular evening education

2) Inclusion in courses for completion of primary education

3) Inclusion in vocational courses offered by workers’ universities to obtain

diplomas for qualifications that are in demand in the labor market

B. Supporting social forms of work with parents

1) Assistance in obtaining identification documents

2) Inclusion in the programs for education for responsible parenting and household

improvement

3) Inclusion in the programs for neighbor assistance

4) Campaigns for environmental cleanup and environmental culture

C. Supporting economic-education forms of work with parents

1) Education for merchandising and accounting for open-air market stalls

2) Education for qualifications which are in demand in the labor market

3) Inclusion of the parents in school councils and NGOs

4) Supporting competition among parents in the fulfillment of basic obligations

towards the home and the school.

125

Appendix 1. Questionnaire for children on the streetsQuestionnaire for children on the streets

UNICEF project: ASSESSMENT OF CONDITIONS, POLICIES NAD PROGRAMS FOR THE CHILDREN ON STREETS IN THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

Implementing agency: National Centre for Training in Social Development,

Institute for Social Work and Social Policy, Faculty of Philosophy - Skopje

INSTRUCTIONS FOR FILLING OUT THE QUESTIONNAIRE

The questionnaire pertains to three categories of children on streets (ages 0-18): children who beg, children who perform services on the street, and children-street vendors. For each category of these children there is a particular color-coded questionnaire: white for children who beg, blue for children who perform services on the street and yellow for children-street vendors.Before filling out the questionnaire please study the questions well. Also, before interviewing the child you should obtain basic data about his/her place of residence, which could be useful during or after the poll. The questionnaire should be written legibly, in block letters and appropriate to the questions asked.The first page (checklist) is to be filled out by you on the basis of direct observation of the child’s environment.When polling children under the age of 7, you are required to ask permission from the parent or older sibling. In such cases, you only ask questions appropriate for the age of the child. After you fill out 10 questionnaires, report to your controller.After filling out the questionnaires please check the answers in order to avoid inconsistencies or inaccuracies, and in the case of missing data ask the polled children again. We wish you success in your work!

Pollster:_______________________________________ Tel:___________________City:_________________________ Location________________________________ Controller: ____________________________

126

CHECKLIST:1. a) city b) village2. Location where the child mostly hangs around (possible to checkmore than one response):Location name:a) Crossroad w/o traffic lights ______________b) Crossroad with traffic lights ______________c) open market ______________d) Bazaar ______________e) Bus station ______________f) Rail station ______________g) Cafe bar, restaurant ______________h) Square ______________i) Tourist resort ______________j) Shopping center ______________k) Church ______________l) Mosque ______________m) Cemetery ______________n) Houses/apartments ______________o) Other (explain) :__________ ______________3. Institutions close (up to 1 km) to the child’s place of residence? (circle)a) Day Centerb) Schoolc) Outpatient clinicd) Local government building (neighborhood association)e) NGOf) Sport Clubg) Other______________

4. Health condition of the childa) Physical disability :____________b) Mental handicap:______________c) Addictions:____________d) Skin disease (noticeable)e) Respiratory disease (noticeable)f) Other _________________

5. Housing conditions5.1. Type of construction of dwellinga) makeshift (cardboard, sheet metal) b) dilapidated c) other:_____________

5.2. Number of roomsa) 1 b) 2 c) more than 2

127

1. BASIC DATA ABOUT CHILD AND PARENTS1.1. First and last name:_____________________________ (nickname):____________1.2. Place of birth? ___________________1.3. Age (approximate), circle:1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 181.4. Sex: a) male b) female1.5. Family structure: a) both parents b) single parent1.6. Total number of family members: _________

Name: years:- mother__________ age_______- father___________ age _______- brothers_________ age ________- sisters_________ age ________- grandparents: grandfather______ age _______

grandmother ______ age ______- other members of family:_______1.6. Ethnic affiliation:a) Roma b) Albanian c) Macedonian d) Serbian e) Vlach f) Turk e) Other_____1.7. Home address:___________________________1.8. What do you mostly do on the street?a) beg b) sell c) offer services g) other__________1.9. Who are you with when you are on the street?a) alone b) with siblings c) with friends d) with mother d) with fathere) with mother and father f) with the whole family g) with relatives h) with others___________

2. Characteristics of location where the child is mainly present

2.1. How many times per week is the child present at that location? (circle):1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 days per week

Which days? a) market days b) Saturday and Sunday only c) weekdays

2.2. Average length of presence on street per day (circle):under 4 hours - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 – over 10 hours

2.3. Business hours (from-to, circle):7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18 - 19 - 20 - 21 - 22 - 23 - 24

2.4. Have you sustained any injuries on the street during the year 2004?a) YES b) NOIf yes, hoe many and what type of injuries?

TYPE: NUMBER of injuries:a) Slight injuries _______________ _______________b) Severe injuries _______________ _______________

128

I know children who have been: TYPE: NUMBER of injuries:

a) lightly injured ______________ ________________b) seriously injured ______________ ________________c) killed ______________ ________________

2.5. Do you cooperate with employees from nearby shops/markets? a) YES b) NO

2.6. In which months of the year are you on the street (how many months per year)? (circle):

January-February-March-April-May-June-July-August-September-October-November-December

2.7. Are you in any danger while on the street? a) YES b) NO

If yes, say what kind of danger _______________________________________________________________________

How often does it occur?a) very often b) sometimes c) rarely

Who/what are you afraid of?_____________________________________________

2.8. Does someone assault you while you are on the street? a) YES b) NOIf yes, who:_________________and how often? a) very often b) sometimes c) rarely

2.9. Does someone chase you off the street?a) YES b) NOIf yes, how often? a) very often b) sometimes c) rarely

Who chases you off the street most often? (circle):a) Officers of the Center for Social Workb) Policec) NGO representativesd) Group of competitors/adversariese) other____________________

2.10. Are you being forced to work on the street?a) YES b) NO

129

If so, by whom?a) parents b) older siblings c) local gangd) other____________

2.11. Is someone controlling what you do on the street?a) YES b) NO

If so, who: a) parent b) older child c) gang leader (boss) d) other______________

Why does this person control you regularly?:a) to take the money collected b) to see how we are and what we are doing c) to send us to a new location d) to bring us food/water d) other________________

2.12. How often do you sleep in the street or nearby?a) often b) seldom v) never

Where do you sleep on the street?_______________________________________

2.13. How long have you been on the street?a) 1-6 months b) 7 months- 1 year c) 1-2 yearsd) 2-4 years e) over 4 years

2.14. Which is the hardest problem you face on the street?a) weather b) traffic c) other people d) lack of clothing/footwear e) other____________________

3. Basic motive for begging/life on the streets3.1. What motivates you to beg on the street?a) Making a living b) family pressure c) Lonelinessd) Habit e) Pressure from adults or older childrenf) Forced by organized gangs g) I find it interestingh) Other__________________

4. Stay in an institution4.1. Have you ever stayed in a social institution: a) YES: when?______which institution?_______________ why?___________________; b) NO

4.2. What is your experience from the stay in that institution:a) Negative sides____________________________________________________b) Positive sides____________________________________________________4.3. Have you ever been abroad?a) Yes: when?____________ where? (country)________________; b) no

130

5. Educational attainment and education needs of the children on streets

5.1. Grade (elementary)_________; grade (secondary)_________5.2. School name: Elementary________________ Secondary________________5.3. Grade average__________ (in the last academic year__________)

5.4. School attendance:a) Regularb) Attends sometimesc) Does not attend school

5.5. How long have you been absent from school?a) seasonal absence __________ months b) ____________ academic years

5.6. Main obstacle to school attendance:a) My parents direct me to do other workb) Poverty in the family (no money for textbooks, clothes)c) I am not interestedd) It is very difficulte) I see no benefit from going to schoolf) Other______________________

5.7. Educational status of members of the family (circle):- mother: a) illiterate b) fourth grade c) elementary d) secondary d) postsecondary e) higher

- father: a) illiterate b) fourth grade c) elementary d) secondary d) postsecondary e) higher

- sister: a) illiterate b) fourth grade c) elementary d) secondary d) postsecondary e) higher

- sister: a) illiterate b) fourth grade c) elementary d) secondary d) postsecondary e) higher

- brother: a) illiterate b) fourth grade c) elementary d) secondary d) postsecondary e) higher

- brother: a) illiterate b) fourth grade c) elementary d) secondary d) postsecondary e) higher

6. Visits to day centers

6.1. Have you heard about a Center for Educational Support in this town?Name of Center _________________ Location of Center_______________How far is Center from place of residence____________

131

6.2. Have you ever visited/attended a Center for Educational Support? a) YES what attracted you to go?a) the place is warm/heated b) friends c) help in studying d) other____________

b) NO Why not, what is stopping you? ____________________a) shame b) I am not interested c) there is no use d) I am forbiddene) other______________

6.3. What would attract you to visit/attend a Center for Educational Support:a) Help with homeworkb) Computer educationc) Music clubd) Sports clube) Drama clubf) Folk dancing clubg) tea and warm mealh) Foreign language: a) English b) German c) Russian d) Italian e) French f) Otheri) Other______________6.4 If offered for free, what type of activities or help/support would you accept?____________________________________________________________________

7. Earnings and spending7.1. Do you make money on the street? a) YES b) NO If yes, what are your average daily earnings (in denars)?a) up to 100 denars b) 110-200 denars c) 210-500 denarsd) over 500 __________ denars7.2. What do you spend the money on?a) food b) clothes c) games d) other_________________7.3. Do you give the money over to somebody? a) parents b) gang boss c) I spend it myselfd) other_________

8. Free time activities and socialization8.1. What do you do when you are not on the street?a) walk b) watch TV c) with friends d) other________________8.2. Do you do any additional work at home?a) take care of siblings b) cleaning/laundry c) cookingd) other____________8.3. Where do you get together with friends after "business hours" on the street?_______________________________________________________8.4. Who do you usually hang out with after "business hours" on the street?______________________________________________________________

132

8.5. What do you usually do when you get together? _______________________________________________________________________

9. Interests9.1. What scares you the most?__________________9.2. What is your dream? What would make you happy?_________________________9.3. Do you watch television? a) YES b) NOWhat kind of programs are you most interested in? a) music b) films c) sports g) others__________________9.4. Are you interested in a trade, craft or way of making money other than the street?a) NO b) YES: Which trade/craft?________________________________9.5. What is preventing you from working in the trade you are interested in?a) no education b) no money to start working itc) no money to educate myself d) I am forbidden e) Other________________9.6 In five years, I expect to be. . . . (vision of the future)_______________________________________________________________________

133

Appendix 2. Questionnaire for professionals from the Centres for Social Work and non-governmental organisations

QUESTIONNAIRE FOR PROFESSIONALS FROM THE CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK AND NGOs

City:______________________1. CSW/NGO street and no.____________ 2. Date of meeting_________________3. Attending:Name (First/Last)______________________Name (First/Last)______________________ Name (First/Last)______________________ Name (First/Last)______________________ Name (First/Last)______________________ Name (First/Last)______________________ Name (First/Last)______________________ Name (First/Last)______________________

4. Scope of work for each person:________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PROJECT QUESTIONS

1. Has your CWR or NGO implemented projects (or duties from state services) for social activities with any of the following three categories of children on streets:

Category Type of project Client Yeara) children who beg

b) children who offer services

c) children – street vendors

2. Do you have written materials from research conducted with any of the following three categories of children on streets prepared by your CSW or NGO?

Category Type of research Client Yeara) children who beg

b) children who offer services

c) children – street

134

vendors

3. Have any officials of the CSW or NGO participated in the preparation of laws/regulations pertaining to these categories of children?

Category Law(s) Provision(s) Yeara) children who beg

b) children who offer services

c) children – street vendors

4. Has your CSW or NGO implemented actions (activities, summer schools, education, courses) for improving the quality of life for this category of children?

Category Type of activity Client Yeara) children who beg

b) children who offer services

c) children – street vendors

5. What are the worst problems you face working with this category of children on streets?

Category Worst problemsa) children who beg 1.__________________________________________________

2. __________________________________________________3. __________________________________________________

b) children who offer services

1.__________________________________________________2. __________________________________________________3. __________________________________________________

c) children – street 1.__________________________________________________

135

vendors 2. __________________________________________________3. __________________________________________________

6. If you were to be funded by a project, what ideas for improving the quality of life for the children on streets and halting of negative consequences from their way of life would you be able to implement?

Category Proposed ideasa) children who beg 1.__________________________________________________

2. __________________________________________________3. __________________________________________________4.__________________________________________________

b) children who offer services

1.__________________________________________________2. __________________________________________________3. __________________________________________________4. __________________________________________________

c) children – street vendors

1.__________________________________________________2. __________________________________________________3. __________________________________________________4. __________________________________________________

7. Which Roma NGO exist in your city and which projects or programs to they implement?

Category Roma NVO Programs/projectsa) children who beg ______________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

b) children who offer services

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

c) children – street vendors

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

136

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

8. What does CSW do with street children, list the forms of work/assistance used most often:

a) regular cash benefits b) one-time cash benefitsc) assistance in-kind d) assistance from NGOse) counseling f) inspectionsg) Referral to NGOs that work with these children

9. Do the children on streets visit the Center for Social Work or NGO?

a) YES b) NO How often: a) often b) seldom v) never

10. Does CSR have a database of the children on streets? ______________

11. Is the local community in your city able to provide free infrastructure (barracks, abandoned huts)?

_______________________________________________________________________

137

Appendix 3. References

1. An Outside Chance: Street Children and Juvenile Justice - An International Perspective, M. Wernham, Consortium for Street Children, 2004;

2. Assessment of Priority Areas of Activity and Potential Financing Needs in R. Macedonia for the International Roma Education Fund, World Bank, 2004 (Study), (Macedonian language version available);

3. Vulnerability of Roma Children in Municipality Shuto Orizari, UNICEF - World Bank, 2000;

4. Vulnerability of Roma Children in the Dispersed Roma Communities in Skopje, UNICEF - World Bank, 2000.

5. Children in the Streets - Street Children in R. Macedonia, Report from Empirical Research, Institute for Social Activities, Skopje, 2001;

6. Day care centre for children on the streets - material prepared by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, 2004;

7. Empirical analysis of problems of children in risk and evaluation of existing protective factors in R. Macedonia, UNICEF, 2004;

8. Law on Protection of Children, Official Register no. 17/2003;

9. Law on Social Protection, Official Register no. 65/2004;

10. Family Law, Official Register no. 38/2004;

11. Law on Primary Education, Official Register no. 2/2002;

12. Law on Health Protection, Official Register no.1997;

13. Program for Effectuation of Social Protection, Government of R. Macedonia, 2004;

14. Program for Social Inclusion, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, 2004;

15. Strategy about Roma people in R. Macedonia (12-2004), Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, December, 2004, with following documents:

138

- Action Plan on Housing (9-2005)- Action Plan on Employment (8-2005)- Action Plan on Education (7-2005)- Action Plan on Health (8-2005).16. Street Children - Children in the Streets (textbook), Faculty of Philosophy, Skopje, 2001.Appendix 4. Maps of locations by place of living of children on the streets

139