Home page
WHO ARE WE?
CPCS International coordinates the CPCS Alliance, a global network of organizations committed to supporting children and young people in street situations and at risk. Primarily present in Nepal, Rwanda, Burundi and Belgium, and occasionally active in other contexts such as Ukraine, Timor and the DRC, the Alliance and CPCS International work to protect, support and empower the most vulnerable children, with full respect for their rights and dignity.
AT THE HEART OF OUR ACTION
Our action is grounded in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, General Comment No. 21 (2017) on children in street situations, as well as the Sustainable Development Goals. Everywhere, we promote a deeply human vision: every child, every young person is a social actor, capable of understanding, choosing, dreaming and projecting themselves into the future, even when life on the street or past experiences seem to have taken everything away from them.
Our approach is based on an interactionist reading of street realities and situations of risk. Inspired by the work of Prof. Daniel Stoecklin and the late Riccardo Lucchini, we seek to understand how children and young people negotiate their identity, resist violence, develop survival strategies and build expectations for the future. This in-depth understanding guides respectful, realistic interventions centred on the best interests of the child.
OUR 3 PILLARS
The actions of the Alliance and CPCS International are always locally grounded and internationally coherent. They are structured around three complementary levels of intervention, implemented progressively and adapted to contextual needs, local realities and available funding in each country of action.
Aimed at preventing children and young people from entering street situations or situations of risk, through awareness-raising among families, communities, authorities and children themselves, as well as school-based and community prevention activities.
Focusing on immediate responses to reduce the dangers associated with street life and to protect children already living on the streets, notably through street work, access to health and hygiene services, drop-in or residential centres, and psychosocial support.
Oriented towards the progressive reintegration of children and young people into society, through family reunification, education, training, youth empowerment, legal support, advocacy and the strengthening of national child protection systems.
OUR CONVICTION
Our conviction is simple: streets, contexts and risks may differ from one country to another, but vulnerability remains the same. Every child, every young person deserves protection, to be heard, and a future.
CPCS International continues its commitment to ensuring that, everywhere, children and young people in street situations or at risk are recognised, respected, protected and supported towards a dignified, free and hope-filled life.