The FOREFATHER'S PROFESSION AND GREEDY NATURE OF PARENTS: SOCIO-ECONOMIC CAUSES OF CHILD BEGGARY IN PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN

FOREFATHER'S PROFESSION AND GREEDY NATURE OF PARENTS: SOCIO-ECONOMIC CAUSES OF CHILD BEGGARY IN PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN

Abstract

The present qualitative study, adopted a constructive approach with the aim of finding out the socio-economic causes of child begging in district of Peshawar, Pakistan. The primary data was collected by conducting 60 interviews with 30 male and 30 female child beggars. Moreover, representatives of the Child Protection Unit and Child Beggar Home, Social Welfare Officers, Police SHOs, and Lawyers, were also interviewed. Data was analyzed through the process of thematic analysis. The study concluded that most of the children started begging as a forefather’s profession. The lack of governmental attention transformed the social evil of begging into a profession. Most of the beggars have migrated from other regions, especially Sindh, Punjab, and Afghanistan. Most of the parents turn out to be greedy, and their greed compels them to do begging while utilizing children to send them on the streets. The study recommends that relevant stakeholders, government, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) help begging children by educating them in schools and skill development centres to prepare them for an honorable life.