perspective- child protection - Page 4

Juvenile Offenders in Punjab

The total number of convicted and undertrial juveniles imprisoned in various borstal institutes and jails of Punjab province was 645 as on 15 March 2022 (Prisons Department, Govt. of Punjab). Out of the total number of juvenile offenders, 81% (523) juveniles were on trial (under trial) and 19% were convicted juvenile offenders. All juvenile offenders were male and no female…

Permitted age for employment of children as domestic workers

Do you know what the minimum age is for children in the different provinces of Pakistan to be employed as domestic workers? Child labour is a provincial subject in Pakistan after the 18th Constitutional Amendment in 2010. The 18th Constitutional Amendment devolved the issue of labour and employment to the…

Ghost Schools

KARACHI: Apropos the letter “Ghost Teachers” published on September 19, 2024, the…

Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929 and Jinnah

The Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929 was drafted by Quaid-i-Azam- Mohammad Ali…

Adopted Children Face Uncertain Futures

Children given in the custody of childless couples are vulnerable to mistreatment LAHORE. Till date, Pakistan has not been able to devise formal legislation on the practice of child adoption, despite the fact that a significant number of married couples are given temporary custody of abandoned children each year. As…

On-campus Drug Use Thrives As Police Focus On VIP Security In Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad police have admitted in a report submitted to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that they prioritise the security of VIPs over making efforts to curb the growing menace of drug use in educational institutions. Justice Raja Inaam Ameen Minhas was hearing a petition filed by Lakki Foundation…

Children’s Growing Interest In Toy Guns Raises Concerns

Sale of toy weapons increases manifold during Eid holidays in Pindi RAWALPINDI: The indulgence of children in the purchase of dangerous toy weapons, playing games like ‘thief and police’ in the streets of Rawalpindi during Eid holidays has raised questions for parents and authorities. These games involved fake armed encounters…

Birth Registration Of Girls Remains Low

Majority of women and girls have no legal existence in the official systems PESHAWAR: Where limited access to registration centers, particularly in remote and underserved areas, can partly explain the low birth registration rate for girls in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the social bias that confines women to the four walls of the…

Another Deadly Accident

Water tankers, dumpers and trailers continue to barrel down the city’s roads with little regard for human life. Enraged by yet another preventable tragedy, onlookers pelted the water tanker with stones, broke its windows, and beat the driver before handing him over to the police. This reaction reflects a growing…

Panchayat Writ

Despite improvements in education and awareness of rights, the tribal court system continues to mete out injustice across the country. The latest example of ‘elders’ proving that age does not always bring wisdom occurred in the rural Bhagwani Shumali area of Dera Ismail Khan in K-P. A local man committed…

Children’s Futures Shattered By 2022 Floods

As the climate crisis continues, children are increasingly exposed to illiteracy, child labour and early marriages LAHORE: Following the devastation caused by the heavy rains and catastrophic flooding in 2022, many people rallied to provide humanitarian aid through food, clothing and medicine for the affected families. However, no amount of…

Child Waste-pickers

A SIGNIFICANT number of children in Pakistan participate in waste-picking for economic survival. Our legal framework, unfortunately, is inadequate in this respect and unable to protect and rehabilitate the children. With rapid urbanisation and population growth, waste generation is growing, overwhelming municipal managements. An estimated 49.6 million tonnes of solid…

Digital Children

AS most parents with young children will agree, the easiest way to pacify a bawling child is to hand them a smartphone, tablet, or other digital device. But though this might ensure temporary calm, the long-term effects of this practice — particularly the unsupervised use of digital devices — can…

THE PRISONS CRISIS OF PAKISTAN

Pakistan’s prison system is at a breaking point, with over 102,000 inmates crammed into overcrowded, under-resourced facilities. Prison conditions in Pakistan fall significantly short of international standards, with inmates facing numerous systemic challenges, including severe overcrowding, unhygienic living conditions, insufficient access to clean water, nutritious food and healthcare, exploitative labour practices,…