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{
    "id": 702829,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/702829/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 44,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Madzayo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 679,
        "legal_name": "Stewart Mwachiru Shadrack Madzayo",
        "slug": "stewart-mwachiru-shadrack-madzayo"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, this is a response to the question raised by Sen. Leshore on 13th June, 2016. There were three questions that were requested by the Senator. The first one was whether there is a policy on street families and the second was whether the policy focuses on persons with disabilities and urchins in the streets. Thirdly, whether the Ministry offers any support to street families. On whether there is a policy on street families, the Street Families Rehabilitation Trust Fund was established in 2003 through a Gazette Notice No.1558 by the then Local Government Minister, the late Hon. Karisa Maitha, to safeguard and promote the rights of the street families through tailored programmes and to address the concerns of the homeless. There has been no specific policy on street families, but there exists some general child protection guidelines. However, the Street Families Rehabilitation Trust Fund has embarked on the development of a national policy on the rehabilitation of street families. A consultant has been engaged for this purpose and has already come up with the final draft which awaits input from key stakeholders and will soon be validated and rolled out for sensitization and implementation. Mr. Speaker, Sir, on whether the policy focuses on persons with disabilities and urchins in the streets; the response is as follows: There exist specific policy guidelines and even an Act of Parliament dated 31st December, 2003, on Persons with Disabilities which coordinates social protection. The Act creates a national council for persons with disabilities, a parastatal that deals with the protection and promotion of interests of persons with disabilities. However, the national policy on rehabilitation of street families will address the entire population on the streets, including persons with disabilities and the homeless urchins. Mr. Speaker, Sir, on whether the Ministry offers any support to street families, the Ministry of Devolution and Planning through the Street Families Rehabilitation Trust Fund (SFRTF) supports children and youth through partner institutions. These are charitable organizations and community based organizations which are vetted and approved for funding under the rescue, rehabilitation and reintegration of street families. Selection and funding is pegged on a set criteria based on specific parameters, which include enrollment of street families in the institutions whether day scholars or boarders under rehabilitation programmes, among others."
}