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child labour in auto industry in Pakistan

Rapid assessment of child labour in automobile repair workshops in Pakistan

This Rapid Assessment examines child labour at automobile repair workshops in Pakistan, with a view to providing updated information on its magnitude, identifying factors that push children into this form of child labour and reviewing national efforts to address the phenomenon. Based on its findings, it offers recommendations for policy design, implementation and action by stakeholders to eliminate and prevent…

Ghost Schools

KARACHI: Apropos the letter “Ghost Teachers” published on September 19, 2024, the issue of ghost schools is another sad reality in Pakistan’s education system. These schools exist only in name, with buildings left abandoned and teachers still collecting salaries without fulfilling their responsibilities. However, the problem goes beyond just missing…

Local Production Of Iron, Folic Acid Supplements May Curb Anaemia In 15m Pakistani Girls

ISLAMABAD: The local production of Weekly Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFAS)…

Vaccination Centres Inaugurated in Peshawar, Mardan

PESHAWAR: Health Minister Syed Qasim Ali Shah on 14 August 2024 inaugurated…

WHO to Provide Child Cancer Medicines

ISLAMABAD: Four Pakistani hospitals are finalising preparations to receive free childhood cancer medicines before the end of 2026 under an agreement between Pakistan and the World Health Organization (WHO), said a press release issued here on Thursday. The initiative, implemented through the Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines,…

UN Committee Issues Concluding Observations on Pakistan’s 6th and 7th Periodic Reports

The UN Child Rights Committee has issued its findings on the combined sixth and seventh periodic reports of Pakistan on Feb 5, 2026 following its latest review session. The findings contain the Committee’s main concerns and recommendations on implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), 1989.…

‘AI Deepfakes Fuel Child Sexual Abuse Content’

• Unicef says children’s photos are being manipulated and sexualised through AI tools • In some countries, as many as one in 25 children reported having their images turned into sexual deepfakes ISLAMABAD: Unicef has said it is increasingly alarmed by reports of a rapid rise in the volume of…

Rights Groups Oppose Children’s Digital Exclusion

LAHORE: Several digital and child rights groups have cautioned that blanket bans or age-based prohibitions on children’s access to social media are a flawed and regressive response to risks including online abuse, exploitation, harassment and exposure to harmful content. Such measures shift responsibility away from the government and technology companies…

Climate-proof Revival of Girls’ Schools in Swat Urged

ISLAMABAD: A rapid assessment of 120 girls’ schools in Swat district, carried out by Unesco, has revealed widespread damage to roofs, walls, and basic water and sanitation facilities, and called for a climate-resilient recovery to keep students learning safely. In a bid to restore safe learning environments, Unesco launched a…

Child Protection Services for Children on the Move in Pakistan

This policy brief focuses on the child protection needs and lived experiences of migrant and forcibly displaced children in Pakistan. It draws on recent research conducted by UNICEF Pakistan and UNICEF Innocenti – Global Office of Research and Foresight, in collaboration with the National Commission on the Rights of the…

Pakistan to Enter 2026 as Fifth-most Populous Country

ISLAMABAD: The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) says that as Pakistan enters 2026 as the world’s fifth most populous country, with a population exceeding 225 million, high population growth and fertility rates, persistent gender inequality, and rising climate vulnerability, the urgency of addressing population dynamics has intensified. These realities underscore…

Four Super Flu Cases Confirmed in Rawalpindi, Murree

RAWALPINDI: As super flu spreads across the globe, four confirmed cases have been reported in the garrison city and Murree, prompting the administration to take precautionary measures, including the establishment of a 10-bed isolation ward at Holy Family Hospital. “As many as 22 suspected cases of acute respiratory illness were…

LoI Inked to Protect Child Health, Well-being

Islamabad: The Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Unicef to join the Children’s Environmental Health Collaborative and the Partnership for a Lead-Free Future. The officials said many children in Pakistan were exposed to lead at levels that adversely affected their…

Polio Shame

EVERY announcement of a vaccination campaign reflects Pakistan’s recognition of the polio problem and a resolve to defeat the crippling virus. Health Minister Mustafa Kamal has launched the final nationwide polio drive of 2025 with the goal to immunise over 45m children. The minister said that the number of polio…