Senegal: Protection of Children in Street Situations

From November 24 to 27, 2025, stakeholders of the PROMES II[1] project came together to take stock of four years of action in support of children in street situations. Implemented in 2021 by Dynamo International and COSAED[2], and supported by WBI[3], the event also aimed to outline the prospects for renewed collective engagement.

Dakar, capital of Senegal

The ambition of PROMES II is to bring about lasting change in social perceptions of children in street situations (CISS) and to ensure the effective respect of their rights, notably through the recognition and valorization of street social work. The main objectives of this workshop were to review the actions carried out, draw lessons from past experiences, and define the strategic orientations of a new five-year program. In a context marked by the complexity of the realities experienced by children, the project is part of a process of consolidating achievements while anticipating future challenges.

The meeting brought together the main institutional, technical, and community partners: the representative of the Prefect of Dakar; the Ministry of the Family, Social Action and Solidarity (through the DPDPE); the Ministry of Justice; the WBI delegation; Dynamo International; regional focal points; member organizations of COSAED; as well as children in street situations.

The workshop was officially opened by Jean-François Pakula, WBI’s General Delegate in Dakar. He emphasized the strategic and cooperative importance of the PROMES II project. The many discussions and reflections helped to identify several key areas, including the strategic value of the project in building a coordinated approach to child protection, the need for constructive self-criticism through the identification of PROMES II’s strengths and weaknesses, and the challenges associated with a multi-stakeholder approach that requires coordination, rigor, and professionalism.

A particularly powerful moment of the meeting was the active participation of children in street situations. Their testimonies highlighted the positive impact of the support they received through street social work. One of them shared: “When I was living on the street, I had to beg in order to eat and I suffered a lot of violence. Thanks to the support of SPER, today I eat my fill, I sleep well, and I am top of my class. I dream of becoming an engineer.”

The four-day workshop concluded with an advocacy effort addressed to the authorities for the recognition of street social work, along with media coverage of the closing ceremony highlighting the commitment of street social workers to the protection of children’s rights, particularly those of children in street situations in Senegal.

[1] Program for the Support of Child Protection and Children’s Rights in Senegal

[2] The Collective of Organizations and Support Structures for Children and Youth in Difficulty”

[3] Wallonia-Brussels International