Lawmaker's proposal to place street children in camps stirs controversy

A proposal from a member of parliament to detain street children in training camps has caused alarm among rights advocates, highlighting a negative perception toward the vulnerable minors — an outlook that has been reinforced by their portrayal in the media as thugs and criminals.
GettyImages-1227123005.jpg
Social workers and a woman look on as homeless children play an educational game inside one of the mobile units run by the Egyptian authorities and used as part of the "Atfal bala ma'wa" (Children Without Shelter) social program, in Cairo's Abbasia district on June 22, 2020. Almost a third of Egypt's population of 100 million lives in poverty, with street children not only among the poorest, but also regularly exposed to verbal, physical and sexual violence. The coronavirus pandemic has left them even more vulnerable. - KHALED DESOUKI/AFP via Getty Images
amin_color.jpg
Shahira Amin
@sherryamin13

A controversial plan put forward by an Egyptian member of parliament to round up street children and place them in training and rehabilitation camps overseen by retired army officers has alarmed children's rights advocates.    

"The phenomenon of street children is a serious challenge that, if left unchecked, can become a ticking time bomb," lawmaker Ayat El Haddad warned during a parliamentary hearing with Minister of Social Solidarity Nevine Kabbaj in early February.    

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.

Videos

See more