This archive report was first published on 12 June 2020.
Published on June 12, 2020, a national census of street families in Kenya paints a dire picture of the country's street population.
According to the census, conducted in April 2018, more than 46,639 street children and families exist in Kenya, with the highest concentration found in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, and Uasin Gishu Counties.
Alarmingly, the census reveals that half of all street girls and women in Kenya have HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Furthermore, 55 per cent of females have STIs, while 74 per cent of males suffer from skin diseases.
Labour Cabinet Secretary Simon Chelugui stated that the census aimed to establish the magnitude and demographic characteristics of street families in Kenya, assess socio-economic and political push and pull factors, generate a databank for street families, and map out existing services and challenges.
Street families face numerous adversities, including limited access to basic healthcare, physical violence, and poor living conditions due to lack of proper shelter.
Despite government efforts to promote socio-economic interventions targeting vulnerable groups, the street families have not benefited from this support due to unavailability of accurate and credible data.
However, 14 per cent of street persons have been rehabilitated or reintegrated, with 16 per cent being males and 8 per cent being females. Over 40 per cent of respondents have received rehabilitation and reintegration services from the government, and 22.7 per cent from Non-Governmental Organizations and faith-based organizations.
