Child domestic labor is a serious issue in Pakistan, where many children, both girls and boys, especially from low-income families, are forced to work as domestic workers. These children are often at high risk of abuse, exploitation, and neglect. They typically work long hours and are paid little or no wages. They are also denied access to education and healthcare, and are often isolated from their own families when they are living at the
Child Rights in Focus
Child marriage is a significant issue in Pakistan, where according to the UN, Pakistan has the sixth-highest number of child brides in the world. Child marriage has serious consequences for the girls involved, including a higher risk of health problems, domestic violence, and poverty. Girls who are married young are also more likely to drop out of school and have lower literacy rates. Additionally child marriage also has a detrimental effect on the social
Street children are one of the most vulnerable and marginalised groups in Pakistan. Street-connected children in Pakistan refer to children who live and work on the streets, lacking a stable home or family support. These children are at high risk of abuse, exploitation, and neglect. The National Commission on the Rights of Child (NCRC) launched its policy brief on Street-Connected Children in Pakistan: Education and Protection Challenges, in partnership with Cities for Children Pakistan
Published by the Wafaqi Mohtasib (Federal Ombudsman), this report sets out the priorities and presents evidence-based recommendations to the stakeholders with a view to ensuring the grant of basic rights to street children in Islamabad Capital Territory. Read the Full report here.
On May 18 2018, the President of Pakistan approved the Juvenile Justice System Act (JJSA) 2018, which was passed by the Parliament in 2018. JJSA 2018 overcomes the shortcomings which were present in Juvenile Justice System Ordinance 2000, and provides a much better system for criminal justice and social reintegration for juvenile offenders. The Act defines a child according to the definition of UNCRC as ‘a person who has not attained the age of
WHY would children, given an option, ever want to stay on the streets? This question arose when speaking to staff from a reputable organisation in Peshawar, with decades of experience in outreach and rehabilitation for children who live or work on the streets. It takes special skills to engage with that subset of ‘street children’ — or the more nuanced term, ‘street-connected’ children — who have left home of their own accord and drift
There are different helplines offered by government and non-governmental organisations offering different services for children in Pakistan. 1099- Report Human Rights to Ministry of Human Rights A 1099 Helpline has been established by the Federal Ministry of Human Rights, and offers advice on human rights violations, and to facilitate and link relevant support services and to establish grievance-redressal mechanism of human rights violations. 1121- Contact Child Protection Agency in need of Protection The helpline
Federal/Islamabad Oversight and Monitoring Body National Commission on the Rights of Child (NCRC) Jurisdiction: National The Federal Government has constituted the National Commission on the Rights of Child (NCRC) in exercise of powers conferred by Section 3(1) of the National Commission on the Rights of Child Act, 2017 (XXXII of 2017) under a notification issued on February 28, 2020. The Commission has an overarching mandate for the promotion, protection and fulfillment of child rights
October 5 is World Teacher’s Day, and for Pakistan, it should be one of those days to introspect and look upon its education and teaching standards. Pakistan is pitched as a big market, with huge potential, and no one fails to mention its bulging youth population. What those pitch decks don’t mention is that school education outcomes are insufficient to support economic and social development in the country. An estimated 22.9 million children aged
UN Agencies in Pakistan dealing with Children Rights United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) UNICEF is main agency for children mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. UNICEF is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and strives to establish children’s rights as enduring ethical principles and international standards of
Nazir left home in a fury to locate his 12-year-old son, Shaheer, who had gone out with friends despite his disapproval. He soon caught sight of Shaheer flying kites with his mates. The sight of his son playing only added to his wrath and he couldn’t help but drag his son back home. It was now time to teach him a lesson; to punish him for the unforgiveable crime of leaving home without finishing
According to a UNICEF report, around 22.8 million children between the ages of five to16 are out of school in Pakistan. Unsurprisingly, these kids can neither read nor write, as a result of which they are labelled as illiterate or uneducated. Some scholars believe that such labelling is unjustified because children do not stay out of school purposely or willingly. Their socio-economic conditions or even geographical locations don’t allow them to join a school. Therefore,