perspective-child rights - Page 4

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 Case for Teaching Punjabi in Schools

THE chief minister of Punjab, Ms Maryam Nawaz, has said that Punjabi will be taught across schools in the province. This was announced at the Punjab Culture Day ceremony last week. It is a welcome announcement. Some 80 million people speak Punjabi in Pakistan and, worldwide, Punjabi speakers number around…

The Role of Parents in Shaping Pakistan’s Education Future

PAKISTAN’S education system faces significant challenges on two fronts. Firstly, there is…

How many more children will we sacrifice?

Nazir left home in a fury to locate his 12-year-old son, Shaheer,…

Recurring Cases

TWENTY-ONE children have been paralysed by polio in Pakistan this year, the latest two in Kohistan and Badin. Each new case is a painful reminder that we remain one of only two countries where the virus still spreads. That a disease wiped out in most of the world still stalks…

Parent-teacher Bond

TEACHERS and parents are both scrambling to prepare for yet another demanding academic year ahead. However, with the exception of the odd parent orientation at school, they are not engaging in any deep conversations about the students. Most students have not only been out of touch with subject knowledge, they…

A Mirror To The Nation’s Young

The State of Children in Pakistan 2024 report was prepared by and launched on April 30 this year by the National Commission on the Rights of Child (NCRC). Established by the Federal Government on February 28, 2020 as an independent statutory body, the NCRC has the overarching mandate for the…

Education’s Bleak Reality

The literacy rate for Pakistan is among the lowest across the world. At 58 percent, the rate is comparable to that of Nigeria (62pc) and Sudan (60pc), while all South Asian peers rank significantly higher. To address this issue, a common approach has been to argue for greater public investment…

LAW: LOCKED OUT OF JUSTICE

Naheed, a Hafiz-i-Quran from Mirpurkhas and mother of two, has spent the last eight years within prison walls awaiting a decision on her pending appeal. Her embroidery and crochet work, sold through a prison-run sewing centre, sustains her children on the outside. The failure of her case is not rooted…

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…