GENDER equality is not just a basic human right. It is also a cornerstone of a thriving, contemporary economy that fosters sustainable, inclusive growth. Acknowledging that gender equality is crucial ensures that both men and women can contribute fully to advancing societies and economies. The path forward is challenging. According to a report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development called `Bridging the Digital Gender Divide`, globally, approximately 327 million fewer women than
Child Rights in Focus
An education emergency has been imposed by the federal government to stem and cure the rot of 26.2 million out-of-school children (OOSC), the second highest in the world according to Unicef. The farce of education emergency has been enacted many a time with no discernible remedial impact. Einstein said: “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” Malala Yousafzai in a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
KARACHl: A judicial magistrate has remanded three suspects in police custody for their alleged involvement in subjecting a teenage schoolgirl to gang rape and filming the heinous offence. The investigating officer (IO) of the case brought the three suspects before the judicial magistrate (Malir) and sought their 14-day physical remand. He informed the court that the suspects were apprehended after a complaint was filed by the girl’s father. He said that the police also
LAHORE: Narowal police have unearthed a gang involved in filming women picnicking along with their families at the BambanwalaRavi-Bedian (BRB) Canal and blackmailing them later with threats to upload `objectionable` material on social media to mint money or to exploit them sexually. With `several suspects and nominated accused` in custody, police said they were after some other accused. The number of nominated accused is 10. In a couple of FIRs, complainants said the suspects
While scrolling through my X (formerly Twitter) feed, a video posted by Shehzad Roy, a renowned singer-turned-social worker, caught my attention and instantly became the highlight of my day. The short clip featured two contrasting scenes. Initially, it portrayed the frenzy surrounding admissions to top prestigious schools, with an ironic moment where a pregnant woman’s concern about her unborn child’s schooling was met with the response: “You’re too late for those schools.” This scene
According to available information, suspected militants blew up a girls school in a village near Wana town of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s South Waziristan district, officials after another one was targeted in a similar manner in the restive tribal regions of the province. There was no loss of life reported in the overnight attack, but the academy was heavily damaged. The under-construction academy was being built with the support of the Wana Welfare Association. An official of
KARACHI: The Sindh government and Unicef on 16 May 2024 agreed to launch a child protection programme to reduce child rights violations and harmful traditional practices. A statement issued from CM House said that Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Unicef Country Representative Abdullah A. Fadil in their meeting at CM House agreed to launch a child protection programme to strengthen evidence-based policy and legislation. The meeting was attended by Health Minister Dr
LAHORE: School students across Punjab elected their 61,212 Student Council office-bearers on 16 May 2024. Around 3.47 million students cast their votes to elect respective presidents, vice-presidents, general secretaries and class representatives in 15,303 middle and high schools, both for boys and girls. Long queues of students were observed outside polling booths since early morning. Students were excited about casting votes in a rare experience in their lives. Results were later announced in front
RAWALPINDI: The All Pakistan Private Schools Management Association (APPSMA) has called for ‘social welfare recognition’ for educational institutions charging fees below Rs5,000 per month. The demand, among others, echoed strongly during a recent meeting of the APPSMA. Emphasising the need to address the educational emergency, leaders from APPSMA advocated for specific measures to facilitate access to education and combat societal challenges affecting students. Association leaders put forward a proposal for the allocation of funds
ISLAMABAD: After declaring an education emergency in the country last week, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on 16 May 2024 set targets for stakeholders and gave them a road map to achieve the desired results. In a major decision, he also ordered the setting up of a five-year Rs25 billion out-of-school-children fund. `Out of School Children Fund, earmarking minimum Rs25 billion for five years shall be established to support innovative and effective strategies aiming to
LAHORE: The Punjab government has instructed the inspector general of prisons to implement the revised standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the operation of borstal institutions to ensure that the juvenile prisoners be treated in line with the international best practices. The SOPs shared by the Punjab Home Department to the IG Prisons stress that the overall environment of borstal institutions shall be different from ordinary prisons. Borstal Institutions, to as maximum extent as possible,
RAWALPINDI: Participants at an awareness-raising session on 16 May 2024 unanimously supported amendment to the law to raise the minimum age of marriage for girls in Punjab to 18. The session was organised by Promoting Human Rights in Rural Areas (PODA) at the Sardar Ishaq Khan Hall of Rawalpindi District Bar Association. PODA is implementing a three year project titled `Reduce Early Marriages to Enhance Gender Equality’ in 41 districts of the Punjab province,