Children of the Rubbish Dump
Matias Costa
This report tells the story of some children who survive collecting rubbish in the largest dump in south Madrid. In 1994, 56 gypsy families were expelled from Madrid by the city council and transfered near the Valdemingomez rubbish tip. The insalubrious conditions that prevail there, as well as a total lack of bare necessities, have forced these families into a life of absolute poverty.
Preview
Spanish gypsies are culturally patriarchal and protective of their children. But because of their situation and a lack of information and education, they do not enjoy even the most basic rights enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. These children do not go to school, their health is not monitored, they are always exposed to dangerous situations, they work in unbelievable conditions...
Recently, the Council of Europe issued a report describing the situation as a violation of human rights. The Madrid authorities have since found housing for 24 families, but the rest go on living in tragedy and extreme poverty.
Matias Costa
