Dissertation (MA Public Administration)
Despite having Child Development Policy, the number of street children has been
rapidly increasing in Tanzania cities. In Dodoma children and adolescents live and
work on the streets. Many of these children are denied their basic rights like
education, health care and protection from abuse and exploitation. This research
assessed the effectiveness of the Child Development Policy towards protection of
street children in Dodoma Municipality.
The review of the literature conducted explains and highlights the meaning of child,
street children and driving forces for their occurrence, types and hazards they face
when living on street. Policy and child protection policy have been also explained.
Literature also has shown global and country’s strategies being formulated
sometimes implemented in protecting children. Moreover challenges encountering
children living in streets.
The field data was collected through semi-structured interview and in-depth
interview guides to find the results. The study found out that there were limitations
towards effective implementation of the policy on children protection which included
lack of enough resources and policy legal drawbacks which were full of
contradiction towards children development rights.
It was recommended that government should take purposive action to improve
economic status of citizens in order to enable households meet their basic needs
which in turn will reduce family conflicts and avoid the occurrences of street
children. Policy makers must also formulate applicable policies that will eliminate
the exposed difficulties and societal hazards facing children mostly street children in
Tanzania.