perspective-child rights - Page 10

Insights From the 2023 Census Report

The 2023 Census conducted by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics released its complete report in July 2024 indicates that the total population of Pakistan is 240 million out of which the population of children under 18 is 112 Million (47% of the total population). Children Population (under 18) Population under 18 Total Male Female Transgender Pakistan 112,472,700 58,099,978 54,370,121 2,601…

The Age Of Consent And The Borders Of Belief

ICT Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2025 marks a pivotal step toward a safer, progressive Pakistan KARACHI. Child rights organisations and advocates, along with concerned citizens, have warmly welcomed the passage of recent legislation on child marriages, describing it as a landmark step toward protecting the rights and well-being of children.…

The Case for Teaching Punjabi in Schools

THE chief minister of Punjab, Ms Maryam Nawaz, has said that Punjabi…

Ghost Schools

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

Every Child Matters: C-ARTS and Transformation Of Autism Care in Sindh

When Fatima was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at just three years old, her parents were overwhelmed. Like so many families in similar situations, they faced a maze of uncertainty—confusion, societal stigma, and a painful lack of support services. They wondered if their daughter would ever speak, go to…

Childcare In Pakistan: Policies, Practices and Challenges

Family-friendly policies are essential for working parents, especially mothers In recent years, women’s participation in Pakistan’s labour market has increased due to various factors, including economic pressures. Female employment is currently at 23% and is expected to grow as education and job access improve, creating an urgent need for supportive…

Protecting Students

FARHAN did not want to go to his madressah. He refused, for a few days, and told his family that he was afraid. His family believed the best course of action was to send him back to a place where they felt he would learn enough to serve him well…

Newborns Gasp For Life At Dysfunctional Nurseries

LAHORE: Delays in procurement of oxygen cylinders, lack of adherence to safety protocols have caused the deaths Where the Punjab government claims to be spending billions of rupees on the health sector, nurseries at public hospitals remain in a deplorable state. With air conditioning units dysfunctional, ventilators out-of-order, oxygen short…

CII On Birth Spacing

Pakistan stands at a critical demographic and health crossroads. With one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in the world outside Africa, a population of almost 250 million, high food insecurity and limited water, there is an urgent need for population policy reforms that keep the living alive while reducing…

The Children We Sacrifice

Pakistani children aren’t safe. That’s not opinion or exaggeration. It’s the bleak, burning truth we keep looking away from. They’re ignored, exploited, brutalised and abandoned on every possible front. But don’t think for a second the numbers in this piece tell the whole story. For every reported case, dozens vanish…

Fatal Corporal Punishment

The savage beating to death of a madrassa student in a Swat village, followed by a ridiculous attempt at covering it up, is a reminder of the pathetic state of education in much of the country, as unqualified teachers sadistically punish children for common negative behaviors. In the Swat incident,…

Education Divide

THE adage ‘desperate times call for desperate measures’ seems apt for the state of Pakistan’s worsening rural-urban education divide. In a country where the education budget is lower than the minimum global standard of 4 per cent of GDP, where 23 million children remain out of school and where the…

Babies Deaths

The heartbreaking loss of 20 infants — mostly newborns — at Pakpattan’s District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital between June 16 and 22 is a damning indictment of systemic healthcare failures. While five health officials, including the Health CEO and Medical Superintendent, have been remanded, the initial inquiries reveal a tragedy rooted in layers…

Why Health Education Belongs in Our Classrooms

ISLAMABAD: Across Pakistan, children are growing up with questions they don’t know how to ask — and when they do ask, they’re often met with silence, nervous laughter, or a quick change of subject. Some questions are whispered among friends in school corridors. Some are typed quietly into search bars…