Systematic review of research on street children in Africa: Evidence, methodological trends, and implications for policy and practice
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15282/ijhtc.v11i2.14709Keywords:
Children in street situations, Streetism, Africa, Systematic review, Child protectionAbstract
Children in street situations are among the most visible and under-served populations in African cities, yet research on them remains fragmented and geographically skewed. This systematic review synthesised and appraised that research and derived implications for policy and practice. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) guidelines, five databases and grey literature were searched for publications from 2000 to 2024. Of 1,959 records identified, 58 sources (42 empirical studies, 9 reviews, and 7 international organisation reports) met the inclusion criteria and were analysed through thematic synthesis. The literature, drawn mainly from East, West, and Southern Africa, indicates that street involvement is structurally produced by poverty, family conflict and violence, educational exclusion, rapid urbanisation, and weak social protection. Children experience overlapping health, educational, and safety deprivations, and substance use is common, yet they also show considerable agency and resilience. Interventions are rarely rigorously evaluated, the evidence is dominated by qualitative and cross-sectional designs, and girls, younger children, children with disabilities, and Central and North Africa are under-represented. The findings support rights-based, family-centred, and structurally informed responses, alongside longitudinal, regionally inclusive research and rigorous intervention evaluation.
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