LAHORE: A report has found a surge in the technology-facilitated gender based violence (TFGBV) in Pakistan in 2023 with nearly 2,500 cases reported in the year with significant rise of such complaints by women and marginalised groups, including girls. The year saw another alarming trend, i.e. the use of generative AI content for violence against women in the public sphere near the general elections. The annual cyber harassment helpline report 2023 was released by
Child Rights in Focus
PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority told the Peshawar High Court on 4 April 2024 that it had blocked 1.07 million web links after finding their contents to be blasphemous or pornographic. A bench consisting of Justice Syed Mohammad Attique Shah and Justice Syed Arshad Ali disposed of a petition of several lawyers seeking the court`s directives for the respondents, including the PTA, to block all links on social media platforms carrying blasphemous contents, which,
In the name of bringing reforms, the Maryam Nawaz-led provincial government is going to hand over 13,000 non-performing public schools of the province to non-government organisations (NGOs), Dawn learnt on 3rd April 2024. The chief minister presided over a meeting to review the School Education Reforms Programme and decided to introduce reforms in the non-performing government schools in the coming three months, says a news release from the CM office. She also sought a
MUZAFFARGARH: A 13-year-old boy was allegedly raped by a man during Aitekaf at a mosque at Sanawan Bukhi Chowk. Reports said the boy observing Aitekaf was allegedly raped by a man who was also on Aitekaf. The suspect managed to escape while the Imam Masjid said he was threatening him with dire consequences. The victim was learning the Holy Quran by rote at the mosque. The boy was shifted to hospital for medical examination.
Chairman Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC) Iqbal Detho said in his suo motu notice of Sindh Textbook Board’s (STB) failure to supply free textbooks to many schools across the province that the board deliberately did not provide textbooks to students as per demand of each school of the province in violation of Article 25(A) of the Constitution and relevant provisions of the Sindh Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2013. He
Sindh Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah on 2nd April 2024 directed the authorities to ensure timely provision of textbooks to more than nine million children enrolled in over 50,000 government and private schools across the province. Chairing a high-level meeting held to review the progress of education and health departments, the chief secretary promised release of funds to the Sindh Textbook Board (STBB) required for printing textbooks. School Education Secretary Zahid Ali Abbasi informed
The Punjab government on 2nd April 2024 formed a committee to prepare recommendations to ensure the registration of children at the time of birth. The committee will comprise the local government department secretary, special secretary (health), while other members include Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) chairman, National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) director general and Punjab of National Commission on Rights of Child (NCRC) chairperson. Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman and NCRC Chairperson
SAHIWAL: A nine-year-old child was tortured to death by his neighbours over a minor dispute at Chak 40/12-L, Chichawatni tehsil. Nasir, the son of Imran, was playing with a child of his neighbours, identified as Bilal, son of Muhammad Rafaqat, in the street on March 31. The children exchange harsh words over some matter and Nasir slapped Bilal. Bilal went home and complained to his family. Bilal’s grandfather Muhammad Ashfaq Gul took hold of
Secretary Health Balochistan Abdullah Khan has ordered data system for monitoring maternal and childcare, nutrition targets and health facilities effective in the districts of the province. DG Health, Dr. Farooq Hot, Additional Secretary Health Arif Achakzai, Director Public Health, Dr. Faheem Khan and the other day. The meeting presided over by the secretary health department discussed district-wise classification of health facilities related to maternal and newborn child and other health indicators. Secretary Health Balochistan
OKARA: A woman teacher of a private school was booked for torturing a fifth class student at Chak 20/2-L, Renala Khurd, on 2nd April 2024. As per the first information report (FIR), Maaz was allegedly beaten by his teacher, Samaha, with sticks as a punishment. When he returned home, he told his parents about the incident. His father complained to school principal Anwar, who turned a deaf ear to the complaint. Later, Maaz`s father
The Punjab government has launched the largest routine immunisation catch-up activity in all the 3,572 union councils of the province from April 1 and it will continue till April 30, 2024, to vaccinate each and every child in the province. The activity will be carried out in all the districts of the province with the technical and financial support of WHO. ‘This is a specially-designed catch-up activity which aims at reaching out to all
A man from Sheikhanwala shot dead his two daughters and seriously injured the third one in the Sheeshmahal neighbourhood of Bhera on Monday before taking his own life. According to sources, Mudassar Iqbal, whose wife from Bhera divorced him in 2018, had been demanding custody of his three daughters. On Monday, armed with a pistol, he went to his ex-wife and upon her refusalto send daughters with him, he shot dead his two daughters