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The Ministry of Social Protection highlights concerns about how several youths who, after being reintegrated into their families, find themselves back on the streets, facing increasing risks to their health and safety.

Assistant Minister for Social Protection Sashi Kiran says these are amongst the hampering issues when dealing with the rising number of youths visible on the streets, particularly during the night.

She adds there has also been a recent distressing incident involving a young individual who was discovered overdosed on drugs and urgently taken to the hospital in the absence of family leaving him exposed without support.

Kiran says despite efforts of reintegration, the Ministry continues to struggle with a lack of family support.

Assistant Minister for Social Protection, Sashi Kiran

“We have taken some of them off the streets, worked on rehabilitation, and put them in vocational schools. Some succeed, some return to the streets, and as you know, the narcotics team is working on drug rehabilitation.”

Kiran adds that easy access to drug-related substances is a major barrier to protecting young children, as it increases the likelihood of substance abuse and undermines efforts to implement effective prevention.