Street Mentors Network marked the 2026 International Day for Street Children with a press briefing and stakeholder engagement in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, using the moment to renew its call for the protection and dignity of street-connected children.

The briefing, held under the theme “Protect, Don’t Punish,” drew attention to the realities many children in street situations face daily, including hunger, rejection, abuse, neglect, exploitation, lack of access to education, and harmful labels that push them further away from help.

Speaking at the event, the Executive Director of Street Mentors Network, Anita Michael, called on the Akwa Ibom State Government and relevant institutions to end the criminalisation of street-connected children and strengthen child protection systems in the state. She stressed that children should not be punished for surviving circumstances they did not create.

“Justice for these children means protection from abuse, access to education, safe shelter and care, and opportunities to grow and thrive.”

For SMN, the International Day for Street Children is more than a date on the calendar. It is a reminder that street-connected children are not invisible. Their rights are not optional. Their future is worth fighting for.

Why “Protect, Don’t Punish” matters

Many children end up on the streets because of poverty, family instability, abuse, neglect, lack of access to education, harmful cultural beliefs, and stigma. These children need protection, not blame. They need adults, communities, and institutions that are willing to respond with care, structure, and practical support.

When a child is treated as a criminal for being on the street, the real issues are ignored. The child becomes more exposed to violence, exploitation, hunger, and further exclusion. This is why SMN continues to advocate for shelter, education, reintegration programmes, family support, and community-based child protection responses.

Our work with street-connected children

At the briefing, SMN also highlighted some of its recent work. In 2025, the organisation directly supported 530 children and young people, provided shelter and holistic care for 12 vulnerable children, reached 350 girls through empowerment programmes, trained 105 children and young people in vocational skills, and engaged street-connected boys through sports mentorship.

Through projects such as the Street Kids Transformation Project, the Street Football Initiative, Empower Girls Now, and the PACT Campaign, SMN continues to combine direct intervention with advocacy. The goal is not only to remove children from danger, but to help them access safer environments, education, mentoring, skills, and a real chance to rebuild their lives.

A call to communities and stakeholders

Street Mentors Network called on community leaders, traditional rulers, faith leaders, families, government agencies, the media, and the public to help change the way society sees and responds to street-connected children.

• Communities must reject harmful labels and beliefs that expose children to abuse.
• Government must invest in education, shelter, care, and reintegration programmes.
• The media must tell stories that protect children’s dignity and shift the narrative from blame to care.
• Families and community members must report abuse, neglect, exploitation, and harmful treatment of children.

The event also had contributions from child protection stakeholders, including representatives from law enforcement, civil society, and the Child Protection Network. Their remarks reinforced the same message: children protected today are part of a safer society tomorrow.

Every child deserves a second chance

One of the most important moments of the engagement was hearing from a beneficiary who expressed appreciation to SMN for support that gave him and other children a new opportunity. His words were a reminder that behind every statistic is a child with a name, a story, and a future that can still be protected.

Speaking on behalf of SMN, Programme Manager Prince Nyong thanked the media and stakeholders for standing with the organisation and called on more people to join the work of protecting the rights and dignity of children in street situations.

At Street Mentors Network, our message remains clear: no child should be punished for trying to survive. Street-connected children need protection, education, shelter, care, and opportunity. They need a society that sees them, listens to them, and refuses to give up on them.

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