KARACHI: SOC Films and the Legal Aid Society (LAS) have signed a two-year agreement to launch a comprehensive child marriage awareness and advocacy campaign, beginning in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). Two-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, founder and CEO of SOC Films, said, “Child marriage persists where silence and legal loopholes intersect. Through our partnership with the Legal Aid Society, SOC Films is using storytelling to spotlight gaps in enforcement and support meaningful
Child Rights in Focus
PESHAWAR: The elementary and secondary education department is going to shift 158 more schools, including 114 girl schools, to the double-shift system. Currently, 1,007 double-shift schools are fully functional in the province. Likewise, 100 schools will be upgraded, including primary, middle, and high schools. Minister for elementary and secondary education Arshad Ayub Khan announced this while speaking at a meeting regarding the double-shift school programme here on Wednesday. Secretary elementary and secondary education Mohammad
KARACHI: The National Emergency Operations Centre for Polio Eradication (NEOC) on Mar 5 confirmed Pakistan’s first wild polio case of 2026 in a four-year-old child from Sujawal district in Sindh. The case was reported through the polio surveillance network and confirmed by the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad. The Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) is assessing the best response to prevent further transmission. Since 1994, Pakistan
PESHAWAR: A disturbing video circulating widely on social media has sparked public outrage in the Domel area of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district, showing a 15-year old girl allegedly being subjected to physical violence by unidentified terrorists. The girl reportedly adopted a masculine appearance, dressing in boys’ clothing and adopting a male demeanour, while moving around various locations in Domel and the nearby Township area. She also made tiktok videos. According to local sources, she continued
ISLAMABAD: The country continues to face critical challenges in financing and ensuring access to education, reveals a government report released on Mar 5. With an alarming number of out-of-school children and 77 percent of ten-year-olds unable to read and understand a simple text, the urgency of aligning financing priorities with teacher quality, learning materials, and stronger assessment systems has never been greater. Whereas the country’s declining trend in education spending reflects a progressive weakening
UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan has told a historic session of the UNSC that the most effective way to protect children and their right to education is to resolve festering conflicts in accordance with the UNSC resolutions, the UN Charter and international law. Speaking in the council’s debate on “Children, Technology and Education in Conflict” presided over by US First Lady Melania Trump, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, said, “Across
ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training on March 3 decided to conduct household surveys in all the union councils of Islamabad to ensure every out-of-school child is identified and provided access to formal or non-formal education opportunities. The ministry also formally launched the “No child left behind” campaign under a union council-wise carpet coverage model aimed at ensuring universal access to education. The ceremony was held at IMCB Jaba Tali. Education Minister Dr
What do we mean when we call someone a “juvenile delinquent”? Is it merely a legal label, or does it reflect deeper social anxieties about youth, morality, and order? In legal terms, a juvenile is a person under the age of eighteen. Juvenile delinquency refers to criminal or deviant acts committed by such a person. Yet, the phenomenon is far more complex than a statutory definition. It lies at the intersection of law, psychology,
In this video, we take a closer look at the realities shaping Pakistan’s education system — from weak learning outcomes and governance challenges to rural disparities and the barriers that continue to affect girls’ access to education. Why has meaningful reform remained difficult to achieve over the decades?What structural weaknesses continue to hold the system back?And what kind of changes are necessary to move the sector forward? Dr. Javed Ahmed Malik discusses key issues
The internet is an essential part of children’s lives—but it also comes with real risks. In this video, we discuss child online safety, the most common digital dangers, and practical strategies parents and caregivers can use to protect children online while maintaining trust and healthy communication. You’ll learn about: Why online safety for children is more important than ever. Common online risks: cyberbullying, online predators, inappropriate content, gaming and social media dangers. Privacy, passwords,
PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet has approved KP Vagrancy Control and Rehabilitation Bill, 2025, for placement before the provincial assembly. The proposed legislation introduces a modernised and rights based framework for addressing vagrancy in the province, replacing the existing legal framework introduced in 2020, read an official statement issued here on Feb 26. The bill, approved during the cabinet meeting held with Chief Minister Mohammad Sohail Afridi in the chair, adopts a rehabilitation centred
QUETTA: Schools, colleges, and universities in Balochistan’s cold districts reopened on March 2 after a two-and-a-half-month winter break, marking the start of the new academic year. However, the first day saw extremely low student attendance, as severe cold, parents’ financial hardships, and preparations for the upcoming Eid al-Fitr combined to keep many classrooms nearly empty. According to the Balochistan Education Department, institutions in Quetta, Killa Abdullah, Mastung, Ziarat, Qalat, Pishin, Loralai, Khuzdar, and other