Marginalised Groups and Access to Education: A Case Study of Street Children in Mandalay, Myanmar
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Abstract
Street children in Myanmar have been a long-term concern and a complicated issue, especially in cities like Yangon and Mandalay. Some street children, who live on their own, survive on the streets without adequate shelter, supportive guardians or parental figures. Others work to support their family. They do not have access to health care, food, education or adequate assistance. Trafficking, exploitation and drug addiction are some of the serious risks street children face. Most street children are out not in school and some have never been to school. This article builds on a case study of street children in Mandalay, including interviews with children, parents, social workers, teachers and government officials. The article examines the difficulties faced by street children to access education and analyses the main issues at stake in relation to the international and domestic human rights framework on right to education and the specific situation of street children. Based on this combination of legal sources, literature, observations and interviews, the article makes several recommendations to ensure the protection of the right to education of street children in Myanmar. They all point in the direction of securing funds to support a flexible and multi-partnered approach to ensure street children’s right to access school and their right to education.
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