Macedonia: there are around 1000 children that beg and that their labor is exploited every day

Does the First Childrens Embassy in the World Megjashi have data for the children beggars on the
street?

The childrens embassy Megajshi does not have the exact number of children beggars. According to
the research of the ombudsman and their analysis of the data received from 29 centers for social
work in 2014 shows that in 12 centers for social work, children beggars are not recorded, while in 17
cities across the country there are children beggars recorded in the following cities: Skopje, Bitola,
Kumanovi, Kichevo, Veles, Gostivar, Prilep, Negodno, Shtip, Kochani, Strumica, Kavadarci, Vinica,
Ohrid, Debar, Gevgelija and Resen. See:

http://ombudsman.mk/upload/documents/2015/Predmetno%20rabotenje-Informacii/Informacija-
Deca%20na%20ulica.pdf

According to our findings, that are unofficial, this number is at least two times higher even in the
certain periods of the year where on the streets in Macedonia, there are around 1000 children that
beg and that their labor is exploited every day. What concerns us even more is that more of these
children do not have birth certificate. The official numbers for children-phantoms should be asked
from the Ministry for Labor and Social Policy. According to the data from the former minister for
labor and social policy, this Ministry came out with the number of 330 children without birth
certificate. But, our assumption is that this number of children that are not recorded with birth
certificate is at least five times higher. This is not just discrimination to this vulnerable group of
children, but the children-phantoms that do not exist in Republic of Macedonia, not only that they
cannot realize any of their childrens rights provided by the Convention for childrens rights, but they
are an easy target of criminals, child prostitution, pornography, trafficking of children and childrens
organs, and other worse forms of child labor abuse. Just to remind that Republic of Macedonia has
ratified the Convention for immediate prevention of the worse forms of the child labor, and must
seriously work towards eliminating the worse forms of child labor, as a signatory country is obligated
to do it.

Are you in a cooperation with the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy and what do you take for
solving this problem?

Yes, we cooperate with MLSP, and we participated in the creation of the Join protocol for action in
cases of abuse and neglect of children, and in the preparation of the Protocol for action in cases of
sexual abuse of children and pedophilia as well. MLSP prepared National action plans: for prevention
and coping of abuse and neglect of children, and an Action plan for prevention and coping with
sexual abuse of children and pedophilia. In practice we cooperate mostly with the centers for social
work.

The first Embassy in the world Megjashi apples to the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, to give a
greater importance to this problem, and to work on faster eradication of the children labor abuse.
We demand and emphasize that it is needed to provide involvement of every child in the preschool
education, especially these children that are out of the system, children that come from poor
families or families with a low social status, and the families in risk as well they are a potential
victims of children labor abuse. So, we ask for free and compulsory preschool education for children
in risk of their labor being abused, children whose parents are socially disadvantaged and live in a
social risk. One child included in the early years in preschool education, will mean one child less on
the streets. The poverty wont be erased until the children are not removed from the street work
and included in the school. The child labor supports the poverty. The preschool, elementary and high
schools provides the children to obtain educational and social skills. The education will empower the
children to obtain knowledge of their basic rights and to understand their potential.

The first children embassy in the world Megjashi, indicates for years that the country should include
these children in school, and on that way to help them gain knowledge, skills, to get literate, and to
help them get away from the captivity that they are on at the moment. If the children get included in
education, that should be free for them and to start from the preschool years, to give them social
benefits of these families. The chances are big that these children of the crossroads, to move in the
school desks.

Does the First children embassy have the obligation to act in the consideration that these children
are on the streets every day, what are your credentials and do you receive reports for this kind of
problems?
The first embassy in the world Megjashi according to its program activities has a SOS phone for
children and youth (0 800 1 22 22) on which these types of cases are reported. Many times, the
citizens are calling and point out that on the certain location the children are begging, or they are on
the streets, or they are using some types of narcotics. As a civil organization, our credentials are to
work on prevention of every type of children abuse, and if this type of case is reported, than we
evident the case, we open a file, he person that leads the case reports it to the Center for social
work. During this work, we cooperate with the police, educational and health institutions, judicial
authorities, media, local government, and others.

Did you have a case that you have found a child on the street and how did you act, who did you
report to, and with whom do you cooperate?

As I already mentioned, when we have cases of child on the street report, or if it comes to our
premises, than we cooperate with CSW. We are in a communication with part of the children on
street, and they come sometimes in our premises. We have donations for them all the time in the
form of shoes, clothes that the citizens are donating for the vulnerable category of children. We
have helped of few children to get included in school. We cooperate mostly with the Centers for
social work.

How do you as a First children embassy look on this problem, is it about children abuse from a
criminal group or they are social cases that truly that is the only way to survive and to provide
existence?

I would say that on one side it is about social cases that are on the margins of the society and social
care, and on the other side that is the reason why they are victims, because they are left on their
own and criminal bands stick to them. If or when these children have roof on their head, when their
parents (if they have them) will have minimal funds that they have earned themselves, and when
their children will be in school instead on the street, the problem with childs labor abuse maybe will
not diminish, but will decrease. If the children on the street get included in school, will be part of the
educational process and will have other habits and needs. They should and must complete their
school obligations. If they have a roof on their head, and at least one employment of these families,
the country will have mechanisms for taking of this convenience for these families, if they find the
children again on the street. Sure monthly incomes and roof on their head promises success for
starts.

Does the number of children on the street increase according to your statistics?

We do not have the exact number of children on the street. The right of the children on the street to
learn is basic human need of every human creature. This is especially true for children and especially
for them is from vital meaning for the present and for their future as well. If the country provides
compulsory, free and firstly quality education for every child, Macedonia could break the vicious
circle of illiteracy and poverty. At the same time, this is the answer to how should we deal with the
children exploitation and abuse.
MA Dragi Zmijanac President and Founder of the First Children Embassy in the world MEGJASHI

With respect from the redaction of MKD.mk

Journalsit Katerina Dodevska. 078 / 230 130