Pakistan is experiencing a concerning rise in online child sexual abuse material (CSAM), ranking among the top three countries globally in terms of reported cases. According to data from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) of the US, Pakistan recorded a total of 5.4 million reports of online child exploitation between 2020 and 2022, following India and the Philippines. The NCMEC received these reports due to legal obligations imposed on US-based
Child Rights in Focus
A 10-year-old boy named Abdullah Sajid was brutally murdered inside a mosque washroom in Sector G-6/3, according to a police spokesperson. The victim was a student who went to the Bilal Mosque to memorize the Holy Quran. An FIR has been filed by the victim’s father, Sajid Khan, and the case has been handed over to the Homicide Investigation Unit (HIU). According to Sajid Khan’s statement, he received a phone call informing him that
Tragedy strikes again as pneumonia claims two more young lives, bringing the total number of childhood deaths to 318 this year. In just 24 hours, 605 new cases of pneumonia were reported, with Lahore accounting for 177 of those cases. The province has seen a sharp rise in pneumonia cases and deaths, with over 20,872 cases reported so far this year. Environmental pollution and smog during the winter season have been identified by health
In a shocking turn of events, police have apprehended the alleged killer of a seven-year-old girl who was found dead in Sehgalabad village on January 27. The suspect, known to the victim’s family, is believed to have committed the heinous crime following a dispute with the victim’s maternal uncle. According to reports, Komal Shehzadi went missing on the fateful day and was later discovered lifeless near the fields, with fatal injuries inflicted upon her.
A recent spell of rainfall has helped improve the quality of air through cleansing that may have a beneficial effect on public health particularly on the subject of controlling the incidences of respiratory tract infections and asthmatic complications but for children and infants, the case may be different because the fall in temperature below 10 degree centigrade may cause severe problems including pneumonia among them if proper preventive measures are not taken. Health experts
The Sindh High Court has barred Foundation Public School Hyderabad from taking any coercive action against students whose parents have challenged the school’s decision to levy an annual fee. The court’s move comes as a relief to the parents who feared their children might be expelled from the school due to non-payment of the disputed fee. The court’s directive follows a petition filed by more than two dozen parents who questioned the Rs15,000 annual
Climate crises negatively impact everyone indiscriminately. Disasters caused by climate change affect women, the elderly and children across the globe. The threats of climate change to the lives of children are numerous and dangerous. Climate-led disasters become fatal for children. According to Unicef, every year, environmental factors take the lives of 1.7 million children under five. Similarly, according to a Human Rights Watch report, published in September 2022, “more than 400 children have been
In this day and age it is very easy for students like myself to hand over our minds and bodies to depression. It is something which is seemingly increasing day by day among young people. In today’s world students are prone to go into depression as there is a lot of competition among them. Another major factor, in my opinion, is social media. Privileged people show-off on these platforms and the students who follow
The recent revelations of financial and administrative discrepancies, coupled with exam tampering, at the Board of Intermediate Education, Karachi (BIEK) have sparked deep concerns about the integrity of the educational system in Sindh province. The findings, uncovered by an inquiry committee appointed by Sindh caretaker Chief Minister Maqbool Baqar, paint a disturbing picture of systemic flaws within the institution. The report identified tampering in the award lists of the pre-medical Science Groups HSC Annual
In the recently-published annual report of Roshni Helpline 1138, a non-profit from Karachi, a total of 2,633 cases of missing children were reported in the country from January to December 2023. Of those, 1,942 were successfully recovered and reunited with their parents. However, the organisation, which focuses on missing children and coordinating with authorities for their safe recovery, added that more than 600 children were still missing, and efforts were underway for their recovery.
The Baseline Study on the Knowledge, Attitudes, Beliefs, Social Norms & Practices Related to Child Protection in Pakistan.pdf provides insights into the current state of child protection in Pakistan. The study focuses on the prevention and response to exploitation, abuse, neglect, and harmful practices against children. Some of the key points of the study are: The study establishes a baseline on knowledge, attitudes and practices related to birth registration, violent discipline, child labour, and
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Child Labour Survey (KPCLS) 2022 is the first child labour survey to provide district level results in the province. Earlier in 1996 a National CLS was carried out at provincial/territory level in Pakistan. The 2022 KPCLS provides unique information about the living conditions of children in the province as well as their daily activities including schooling, working, household chores and leisure. The survey is representative of 8,282,673 children aged 5–17 in