Introduction

Abstract

This book is about homeless young people (HYP) of Pakistan, who improvise with limited resources available on the street to obtain needed resources. While HYP are typically perceived as ‘irresponsible’ and ‘morally suspect’ individuals who lack essential social skills to navigate their lives, my analysis offers an alternative and more positive perspective. It suggests that HYP work in agential ways to address the problems that they face. One way by which HYP deal with these problems is to exchange sex for financial gains and social support, an activity that can reinforce their social marginalisation. In this introductory chapter – composed of two main parts – I set the scene for this book. In the first part, I provide an overview of the situation of HIV and youth homelessness in Pakistan. Here, I demonstrate the significance of conducting a social scientific study with HYP who often exchange sex for needed resources and how this places them at an increased risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). In the second part, I provide a brief outline of the book structure.