INVISIBLE CITIZENS: STREET CHILDREN IN URBAN PAKISTAN AND THE CRISIS OF STATE RESPONSIBILITY, CHALLENGES, AND GOVERNANCE FAILURES (2020–2023)

Abstract

This study explores the persistent and deepening crisis of street children in urban Pakistan between 2020 and 2023, framing their existence as a manifestation of state failure, governance dysfunction, and institutional neglect. Street children who are deprived of basic rights such as shelter, education, healthcare, and protection are among the most vulnerable and overlooked populations in Pakistan’s rapidly urbanizing cities. Despite Pakistan’s constitutional commitments and ratification of international conventions like the UNCRC, the plight of these children remains largely unaddressed, exacerbated by poor policy execution, fragmented institutional coordination, and a lack of political will. This research examines the root causes of youth homelessness and social exclusion in major cities such as Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad, focusing on how economic pressures, displacement, family breakdown, and urban poverty drive children to the streets. The study also analyzes the challenges these children face—including exploitation, abuse, addiction, and systemic invisibility and evaluates state responses during the politically turbulent and economically strained period of 2020–2023, particularly in the aftermath of COVID-19. Through a multi-disciplinary approach combining policy analysis, qualitative field data, and human rights perspectives, this research highlights the urgent need for integrated urban governance reforms and child-centered policy frameworks. Ultimately, it calls for transforming these "invisible citizens" into recognized and protected members of society.