In Pakistan, like many countries across the globe, menstruation is perceived as a shameful and private matter that is not meant to be discussed openly. Due to this culture of shame and secrecy, adolescent girls in Pakistan often lack accurate knowledge and awareness regarding menstruation. According to Shah et al. (2023), 51.7% of schoolgirls were unaware of menstruation before experiencing their first period. As a result of this limited knowledge, many girls associate menarche
Child Rights in Focus
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 Child (NCRC) and the social enterprise Samuel Hall. The research examines internally displaced Pakistani children, Afghan child migrants, and forcibly displaced children, with particular
The State of the World’s Children 2025 warns that global progress in reducing child poverty is slowing and risks reversal due to conflict, climate shocks, debt pressures and deep cuts in development aid. About 412 million children live in extreme monetary poverty, while 417 million face severe deprivation in basic needs such as education, health, water and sanitation. South Asia – including Pakistan, which faces recurring climate disasters, economic stress and service gaps –
RAWALPINDI: A 14-year-old girl who went missing from Rawalpindi’s Dhok Hassu area earlier this week was found murdered on Saturday, police said. The sack-packed body of the girl, identified as Misbah, was recovered from Ladies Park on Carriage Factory Road, within the jurisdiction of Ratta Amral police station. According to a police spokesperson, senior officers, including the SSP Operations, SSP Investigation and SP Rawal, reached the spot along with a police contingent. The body
KARACHI: A matriculation student has identified the main accused in a case involving the alleged sexual abuse of more than 100 children during an identification parade held before a judicial magistrate in Karachi, police said. The identification parade was conducted on Saturday in the court of the Judicial Magistrate South, where the accused, identified as Imran, was produced by police. The student identified him despite the suspect standing among 10 dummies. Following the identification,
ISLAMABAD: The Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (Peira) has issued notices to over 1,000 private schools for not submitting compliance reports. Sources said these schools had been granted registration with the direction to ensure availability of missing facilities, including infrastructure shortfall, lack of classrooms, deficiencies in libraries, laboratories and teachers. The schools were required to submit compliance reports after bridging the gaps, which were pointed out during approval of the registration process. “We are
PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mohammad Sohail Afridi on January 23 said the province had witnessed terrorism and violence over the past 25 years, and now the time had come to lead children towards knowledge and a bright future. He stated this while speaking at an event, where he launched Character Education Curriculum for the holistic character development of children, according to a statement issued from the chief minister’s secretariat. Mr Afridi said while
LAHORE: The body of a newborn baby was found dumped in a trash bin in the Chung area on January 23. A spokesperson for Edhi Foundation said a passerby spotted the infant’s body in a garbage container and informed the police. Upon receiving the alert, police reached the scene, took the body into custody and shifted it to a morgue for post-mortem examination and legal formalities. Police officials said preliminary investigations suggest that an
HYDERABAD: Sanghar police on the night of January 22 arrested a man accused of raping and torturing a 15-year-old girl from Hyderabad. On January 23, police produced the suspect, Wazir son of Waris Rajar, before a civil judge and judicial magistrate, who granted his three-day physical remand to Chautiarion police station, within whose jurisdiction the incident occurred. A medical report issued by Civil Hospital Sanghar confirmed that the victim, Shadbano Mallah — also the complainant
ISLAMABAD: Additional District and Sessions Judge Mohammad Afzal Majoka on Jnuary 22 recorded the statements of mother and maternal aunt of renowned TikToker Sana Yousuf in her murder case. The court summoned the officials of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) over threats received by the defense counsel, and adjourned the hearing until January 27. During the hearing, accused Umar Hayat was produced before the court. At the initial stage, no counsel appeared on
LAHORE: The Punjab government has given two weeks to stakeholders to implement Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in plazas, schools and hospitals in the wake of Gul Plaza inferno in Karachi. “A building grading system has now been introduced across the province, under which safe buildings will be categorised as A-grade, while others will be graded according to their condition. The firefighting sector is being upgraded with modern technology, drones and state-of-the-art equipment,” Punjab Information Minister Azma
The reported gang rape of a minor girl in Jacobabad by policemen in custody is a failure of procedure that demands serious institutional reckoning. Furthermore, the subsequent arrest of six policemen is being presented as proof that the system works. It is not. Accountability that begins and ends with junior officers is not true justice. Female detainees — including minors — were allegedly kept in a private location with male police officers. This alone constitutes illegal