School-age children continue to beg on the streets of Mawlamyine, Mon State, due to weak supervision and enforcement by relevant authorities, residents said.
According to child rights activists, hundreds of child beggars can be seen across the city, including along Strand Road, around the night market, at the Zaygyo traffic light intersection, and in other crowded public areas.
A child rights advocate said organized groups and guardians who exploit children for financial gain are largely responsible for the situation. The activist added that unless township- and ward-level authorities take effective action, children will continue to rely on begging as an easy source of income.
“About 80 percent are children between the ages of three and 14, while only 20 percent are adults. This reflects weaknesses at the grassroots level. Ward administrators, hundred-household leaders, and township authorities all have responsibilities. If local communities do not want people engaging in such harmful activities, they must closely monitor the situation. The relevant authorities should be reporting and addressing these issues,” the activist said.
Most of the children reportedly come from neighborhoods such as Thirimyaing, Thirimingalar, Tharyar Aye, Zeyathiri, and other wards. Many belong to migrant families who have relocated to the city.
Although local authorities provided some assistance last year, residents said those efforts failed to produce meaningful results.
In recent weeks, the number of child beggars across Mawlamyine has noticeably increased. A resident said some of the children display disruptive behavior that causes concern among pedestrians.
“When authorities conduct crackdowns, things become quiet for a while. But after some time, the children return to the streets. It seems their guardians are encouraging them to beg. People should avoid giving money directly to the children. If they genuinely want to help, they should visit the children’s homes and assess their actual situation. When money becomes easy to obtain, some children lose interest in education and choose to beg instead. Some of them can earn up to 40,000 or 50,000 kyats a day,” the resident said.
Under Myanmar’s 2019 Child Rights Law, forcing minors to beg is a criminal offense punishable by imprisonment and fines upon conviction. However, residents said authorities have not taken legal action against those responsible.
Although the military junta-appointed Mon State government frequently states during coordination meetings that it is committed to eliminating child labor, there has been little concrete action to address the challenges faced by children on the ground.
According to a report published by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in September 2024, child labor conditions in Mon State, Karen State, Kayah (Karenni) State, and Shan State worsened significantly between 2021 and 2024.
