CSC Submission to the International Development Committee inquiry into Humanitarian Crises Monitoring: Impact of Coronavirus

Summary

With the support of the CSC Network, we have prepared a submission to the International Development Committee inquiry into Humanitarian crises monitoring: impact of coronavirus.

This submission provides evidence of these risks faced directly and indirectly by street-connected children in developing countries amid the pandemic, before offering lessons learned from the work of Consortium for Street Children’s Network Member StreetInvest in Sierra Leone during the 2014-2016 Ebola epidemic which prove that street children and homeless youth can and should continue to be supported during public health emergencies. It draws attention to two implications for DFID’s global health strategy: 1) More data is required about the impact of COVID-19 on street children and homeless youths; 2) Review of public health strategies to highlight and safeguard street children and homeless youth’s specific needs during a pandemic.

Finally, it stresses the importance that international development funding places a proportion of its funding and budget to services specifically targeted at street children and homeless youth, especially for small local organisations who have the trust of street children and are in the best position to respond.