This bulletin examines the condition of children in Latin America, the particular situation of the most vulnerable children, children and youth in the situation of the streets, and examines in detail a successful attempt to roll back a regressive policy on street children in Rio de Janeiro.

The goal of this study is to describe the safe places children aged 0-8 inhabit outside of their homes in the low-income Rio community of Rocinha, and to report how key actors in that community think the number and quality of safe places for children can be improved. The study has implications for young children throughout urban Brazil.

The issue of teenage pregnancy and maternity has important implications for the young women, their families and public health and other policy areas. In general, the incidence of such pregnancies has diminished in Brazil and in other countries in the last decade.

The worldwide alarm at the spread of the Zika virus is mirrored in Brazil which is the world epicenter of the current outbreak of the virus. Correlational and virologic evidence is accumulating rapidly of the connection between the Zika virus and the increase in the incidence of microcephaly in newborn babies in Brazil.

This bulletin examines the condition of children in Latin America, the particular situation of the most vulnerable children, children and youth in the situation of the streets, and examines in detail a successful attempt to roll back a regressive policy on street children in Rio de Janeiro. May 2017.

The goal of this study is to describe the safe places children aged 0-8 inhabit outside of their homes in the low-income Rio community of Rocinha, and to report how key actors in that community think the number and quality of safe places for children can be improved. The study has implications for young children throughout urban Brazil. October 2016.

The issue of teenage pregnancy and maternity has important implications for the young women, their families and public health and other policy areas. In general, the incidence of such pregnancies has diminished in Brazil and in other countries in the last decade. July 2016.

The worldwide alarm at the spread of the Zika virus is mirrored in Brazil which is the world epicenter of the current outbreak of the virus. Correlational and virologic evidence is accumulating rapidly of the connection between the Zika virus and the increase in the incidence of microcephaly in newborn babies in Brazil. March 2016.

A project of the International Center for the Study of Childhood (CIESPI) at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio)
Introduction
This bulletin is one of several publications from a project titled “The process of constructing and implementing public policies for children and adolescents in the situation of the streets” undertaken by the International Center for the Study of Childhood. The purpose of the study is to analyze the process by which policies on children and adolescents (hereafter, children) are established and implemented by municipal Councils for the Rights of Children and Adolescents. Such councils and their counterparts at the state and the national levels were established by federal law in 1990 and have the responsibility of providing citizen input into the process of guaranteeing and implementing the rights of children. This bulletin is a preliminary summary of the opportunities and challenges encountered in Councils’ work in developing policies on street children in Rio de Janeiro and six other cities. April 2011.

A project of the International Center for Research and Policy on Childhood (CIESPI) at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio)
Project update
We are pleased to report that the Council on Children’s Rights for the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro2 has formally adopted a new policy on children in the situation of the streets. That policy can be found at the CIESPI web site (www.ciespi.org.br). This marks the first time that a new policy on street children has been adopted through the mechanism of thorough and extensive debate in a municipal Council. CIESPI is pleased to have been able to provide the Rio Council with relevant research data during its deliberations and to have helped to facilitate some of those discussions. October 2009.