HCMC cracking down on exploitation of child beggars

HCM City is investigating and cracking down on people who exploit children and older people by forcing them to beg on the streets. – Photo chinhphu.vn

HCM CITY - HCM City is looking on tackle the issue of homeless child and elderly beggars, but is thwarted by the fact that they are taught how to evade detection by authorities by their exploiters.

Trần Quốc Dũng, deputy head of the city Department of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs’ social protection department, said Decision No. 812/QD-UBND (dated March 10, 2023) on protecting vagrant children and others in need of urgent protection is being implemented.

It has yielded positive results but nevertheless, due to the economic situation, vagrant beggars could still be seen in many places, he said.

“They usually gather near religious sites, bus stations, petrol stations, traditional markets, and road intersections. They have ways to avoid the authorities such as pretending to sell lottery tickets, pens and chewing gum, making it difficult for the authorities to deal with them.”

The police have been instructed to closely monitor and deal with people suspected to be exploiting children and seniors by pushing them into begging.

According to the department, many of these cases are hard to handle because the offenders are relatives, even parents, of children, and they are the ones telling them how to avoid detection.

In the first nine months of 2024 shelters and the department have taken in over 1,100 homeless children and elderly and disabled people.

The public can call the city’s 1022 hotline to report beggars so that authorities can give them succour.

The department is also working with various agencies to raise public awareness of how they should not give alms to beggars and co-operate with authorities through posters and the media.

The city People’s Committee will carry out an inspection campaign at districts 6, 7, Phú Nhuận, Gò Vấp, Tân Bình, and Thủ Đức City.

The city also gets beggars from neighbouring Cambodia, mostly women, children and disabled and elderly people living in border provinces.

Authorities are monitoring areas with Cambodian populations to identify and take homeless Cambodian beggars to social shelters before handing them over to the country’s diplomatic mission.

There are currently 16 public centres with 6,505 people and 64 private ones housing 3,177 people. – VNS