Thousands of children abused and forced to live on the street

AMERICA/PARAGUAY -

Seal of the Organization of American States (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Asunciòn (Agenzia Fides) - There are 320,591 Paraguayan children living on the streets in abject poverty, in a total state of abandonment, neglect, exploitation and marginalization. The only dream is to find a loving family and a State that takes care and protects them from the violence they suffer at home. They are often sent away by their own parents due to the poor living conditions, unemployment, lack of opportunities, a decent salary and a health plan that can guarantee everyone a decent life.
In a recent survey carried out at a local level, which began in August and ended on October 2, what is highlighted is that the surviving children of different ages suffer violence, loneliness, hunger, use drugs such as marijuana and crack which are addictive and cause compulsive behaviors and great harm to the body. This is just a small part of the violent reality that these children live and all this hides unscrupulous adults who exploit them or sell them for drug-dealing. Six Paraguayan children out of 10 report having suffered different types of abuse, and almost everyone believes it is 'normal' to be beaten by family members. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), a body of the Organization of American States (OAS), considers the need to invest adequately in the family, in the community and in the municipalities a priority. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 06/10/2014)