Surveying the World's Laws for Begging

Beggars have been in cities for as long as there have been cities. But around the world, laws dealing with panhandlers vary greatly. Ian Wylie writes a survey of laws concerning begging in a story for The Guardian. "The Nigerian senate, for example, is considering a bill that would ban the “menace of street begging” in cities all over the country – following the Lagos state government’s move to round up 413 beggars from the city’s streets in July, 31 of whom were subsequently deported to neighbouring Niger," Wylie reports.

Many U.S. cities are harsh on their beggars as well. "Oklahoma City has extended its exclusion zones so that panhandling is now prohibited within 50 feet of cafes, restaurants, school bus stops, elementary schools, ATMs and public restrooms," Wylie writes. Some cities look to get beggars off the streets with job and day labor programs. And "progressive cities are seeking more sustainable solutions, attempting to address the underlying causes and injustices that force many to beg."