THE African Network for the Prevention and Protection against Child Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCAN) has said the street kid tag is discriminatory and creates stigma to children on the streets.

ANPPCAN Zambia chapter programmes officer Kelvin Mulembe said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that the name street kid had a negative psychological impact on children even when they were taken off the street.

He said that his organisation was working with the ministry of Youth, Sport, and Child Development in alleviating the problem of streetism in Zambia.

Mr Mulembe said his organisation supported Government's efforts of alleviating the suffering of the vulnerable children more especially those on the street.

He also said there was an increase in the numbers of arson cases in Zambia with many children as the victims.

Mr Mulembe said a survey by his organisation showed that sources of arson in rural areas were due to domestic conflicts that came as a result of infidelity.

He said in any case of domestic conflict, children were the major victims.

Mr Mulembe said ANPPCAN had set up district child care and protection (DCCP) units in Northern Province and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the police to help victims of abuse and neglect.