Street Children

SPARC State of Pakistan’s Children Report

“State of Children Report” is an annual publication produced by the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC), a non-governmental organization based in Pakistan. The report provides information on the situation of children in the country, covering various aspects such as health, education, violence against children, juvenile justice system, etc. The report is widely cited by…

Why do children want to stay on the streets?

WHY would children, given an option, ever want to stay on the streets? This question arose when speaking to staff from a reputable organisation in Peshawar, with decades of experience in outreach and rehabilitation for children who live or work on the streets. It takes special skills to engage with…

Situation Analysis of Children in Pakistan

The Situation Analysis of Children in Pakistan, published by UNICEF Pakistan, considers…

Child beggars flood twin cities

The number of child beggars and alms seekers has increased manifold in…

Several Swat Parents Booked For Forcing Children Into Begging

SWAT: The Swat police on 11th November booked several parents for ‘coercing’ their children into begging on the streets. Mingora police station SHO Mujeeb Alam Khan told Dawn that over a dozen children were collected from various parts of Mingora and brought to the police station. “They were provided with…

Child Beggars Still Chase Benefactors

Despite govt banning child begging, Social Welfare Dept fails to rehabilitate minors forced into the trade Every child born into this world has a right to a safe home and a secure future, which under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is the state’s obligation to fulfil. However, the authorities…

Crackdown On ‘Professional Beggars’ Ordered in Karachi

KARACHI: The city administration on 30th September decided to launch an effective crackdown on professional beggars at traffic signals, intersections and markets across the city. The decision was taken by Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi while chairing a meeting at his office, according to a press release. The commissioner was informed…

SI Arrested For Abusing Two Minor Children

ISLAMABAD: A sub-inspector (SI) of the capital police was suspended and put behind bars after he was found involved in detaining two minor children illegally for two days and physically abusing them, police said on 23rd September 2024. The action against the SI was taken in response to a complaint…

Child Beggary

CHILD begging, the ugliest form of child labour, is a curse on society. Ravaged by disease, crime, exploitation and drug abuse, hundreds of poor children populate Karachi’s intersections and street corners. The Sindh Child Protection Authority informed the Sindh Assembly recently that it was, in coordination with the provincial police,…

Anti-Beggary Drive in Sindh Focuses on Child Rescue: Minister

KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly was on 13th September 2024 informed that the Sindh Child Protection Authority was working in close coordination with the provincial police to conduct anti-child beggary drive for rescuing children who were forced to be involved in this worst form of child labour. Furnishing statement and replies…

Institution For Out-of-School Children Opened

TAXILA: A school for street and out-of-school children, especially those working in brick kilns, workshops, hotels, and begging, has been opened in Attock. At the Subh-i-Nau (early morning) School, enrolled children will receive free uniforms, school bags, and stationery supported by Jica, the Department of Education, and philanthropists. Addressing the…

Out-of-school children vulnerable to anxiety, depression, other mental health issues

KARACHI: Pakistan has the world’s second highest number of out-of-school children whose numbers have grown dramatically since 2021. Deprived of life’s basic necessities, these children are more vulnerable to stress, trauma, and social isolation, leading to anxiety, depression and other mental health issues, shared an expert on the second day…

700,000 children in Punjab are living on streets

LAHORE: Speakers at a seminar and panel discussion have called for more effective enforcement of existing laws and collective action to control child trafficking, child labour and child marriages. In the event organised by the Sustainable Social Development Organisation (SSDO), in collaboration with the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau (CPWB),…

CPI resolves 258 cases of child protection

Islamabad: Child Protection Institute (CPI), Ministry of Human Rights, has dealt with 260 cases of child protection since its inauguration in June 2021, says the data released by CPI. Among the total number, 243 were boys and 17 were girls. Out of the total number of cases, 125 cases were…