Topic Collection: Health and Wellbeing of Street and Working Children
Health and Wellbeing of Street and Working Children
In collaboration with the International Society for Social Pediatrics and Child Health (ISSOP)
BMJ Paediatrics Open and ISSOP are pleased to announce a call for papers on the theme of ‘Health and Wellbeing of Street and Working Children’.
The aim of this Topic Collection is to capture the experiences, needs, strengths and rights of diverse populations of children and young people who exist on the margins of society—namely street and working children and young people (SWC).
The Committee on the Rights of the Child, via General Comment 21, provides authoritative guidance to states on developing comprehensive, long-term national strategies on children in street situations. However, child health professionals and professional organizations have had little visibility in the response to the needs and rights of these children.
It is the intent of this topic collection to stimulate research on this important issue, while raising global awareness and advancing advocacy. We encourage submission of manuscripts from colleagues in low- and mid-income countries. Mentorship and engagement of those interested in participating in a research collaborative will be provided through ISSOP. Please follow the link on their website to participate (http://ISSOP.org) .
The collection is open to all article types published in BMJPO, especially original research that engages street and working children themselves. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:
- Advancing SWC’s rights
- Health and wellbeing of SWC, including mental and behavioural health
- Voices of children and young people living or working on the street
- The experience of indigenous and tribal children and young people
- Violence against SWC
- Sexual exploitation of SWC
- Ethics and methods of research on marginalised young people
- Effective interventions to optimise the wellbeing of SWC
- Policy initiatives and government action responding to the needs and rights of SWC
- SWC in high income countries
- Special needs of SWC with disabilities
- Expanding the taxonomy of SWC, e.g. child soldiers,
- Position statement on optimising the health, wellbeing and rights of SWC