A conference discussing issues facing the greater Bahr el-Ghazal region, which ended on Sunday in Wau, has highlighted the problem of street children in the region.

In a statement to Radio Tamazuj, the Western Bahr el-Ghazal state minister for information and state government spokesman, Derik Alfred Uya, revealed that the conference designated a significant portion of the event to the discussion of social problems and, in particular, the growing phenomenon of children living in the street.

He attributed the homelessness to the fact that greater Bahr el-Ghazal, composed of Western Bahr el-Ghazal, Northern Bahr el-Ghazal, Warrap and Lakes states, have all suffered significant consequences from the Sudanese civil war which caused mass displacement and family breakdown as well as creating a number of orphaned or otherwise vulnerable children.

The participants, Uya claimed, stressed the need to fight the phenomenon using several strategies, although allegedly failed to mention any means by which to do so.

Markets in the greater Bahr el-Ghazal region host a growing number of street children, particularly in Wau town. However, observers in Western Bahr el-Ghazal state attribute the large presence to the town’s role as the hub for the four states and can therefore offer increased survival conditions and economic opportunity.

“We discussed social issues also especially the issue of street children which of great concern in Western Bahr el-Ghazal as there are large number of them here without people taking care of them or parents. These are the outcomes of the civil war including the disintegration of the families, death of the parents or lack of proper childcare as well as economic crisis,” Derik claimed.

Photo: Street children collecting empty bottles of water, File photo