A mirror to the nation's young

Express Tribune

5 days ago

The State of Children in Pakistan 2024 report was prepared by and launched on April 30 this year by the National Commission on the Rights of Child (NCRC). Established by the Federal Government on February 28, 2020 as an independent statutory body, the NCRC has the overarching mandate for the promotion, protection and fulfillment of child rights as enshrined in the Constitution of Pakistan, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and other international obligations.
Pakistan has ratified several key UN human rights treaties that provide a broad framework for the protection of children's rights. The NCRC report notes that there have been persistent delays in submitting periodic reports on UN treaties by the Government of Pakistan, including the practice of combining several overdue reports. While the government tracks progress in fulfilling its treaty obligations through designated ministries and treaty implementation cells, delays weaken the effectiveness of these mechanisms and hinder timely engagement with treaty bodies and implementation on recommendations.
The treaty bodies' concluding observations and recommendations provide a framework for Pakistan to address gaps in policy, legislation and implementation, in relation to children's rights and related issues. Aligning national and provincial laws and policies with international standards is crucial for Pakistan to fulfill its international obligations and commitments, but more importantly, such legislative harmonisation will also help improve the situation of rights for children in the country.
The report examines children's rights across the four core pillars of the UNCRC: development, survival, protection and participation. Each section examines situation on the ground, emerging trends, legal frameworks, institutional responses, and disparities. The report concludes each thematic area with targeted recommendations for policymakers, civil society organisations, and development partners for responsive and effective child-focused policies and programmes in Pakistan.
Right to development
According to the report Pakistan's 47% population is under the age of 18, comprising 51.6% male and 48.3% female. Out-of-School Children (OOSC) remain a challenge, with more than 26 million children aged 5-16 years currently out of school. 77% of children in Pakistan are classified as "learning poor," meaning they are unable to read and comprehend simple text by age 10. In Pakistan, inclusivity is especially critical for marginalised groups, including children from low income families, children with disabilities, children from minority communities, and transgender children, who face systemic barriers to participation and achievement in education. Educational opportunities should be expanded for children from marginalised groups by addressing specific barriers.
At the national level (rural), 11% of surveyed government schools and 11% of private schools reported having children with disabilities. Physical accessibility remains inadequate in schools, with only 23% of government schools and 55% of private schools equipped with ramps, while accessible toilets are available in 51% of government and 57% of private schools. Critical support services, such as hearing assistive devices and specialised staff, remain scarce and available in only 21% of private schools and virtually non-existent in government institutions. Disabilities related to vision and mobility are the most commonly observed; however, even these cases average fewer than one child per school, highlighting gaps in identification and inclusion.
In 2024, the allocation for education has dropped to 1.7 percent of GDP, a decline from 2.1% in 2020. Unfortunately, it decreases to 0.60 percent in current budget. It is lower than the global average of 4.3%. Both federal and provincial government need to work collectively and raise education spending to at least 4% of GDP, aligning with global standards.
The report focuses on children's right to play and recommends, all schools should introduce a play policy which requires 30-45 minutes of daily play in schools. Provincial governments should convert available vacant urban land into safe playgrounds through local government-education department partnerships.
Right to survival
The report explores the multifaceted dimensions of children's survival in Pakistan, addressing health, nutrition, water, sanitation, hygiene, and the interplay between climate change and child well-being. Despite progress in immunization, high mortality rates among newborns and children under five reflect critical gaps in maternal and child health care.
High population growth is a significant strain on Pakistan's limited resources and economic stability and highlights the urgent need to prioritise investment in children. Without expanding public spending on education, health and child protection, the future holds limited opportunities for children and Pakistan risks perpetuating the cycle of poverty and inequality.
Pakistan needs to adopt comprehensive, child-centred, inclusive policies and programmes that target healthcare care, nutrition and climate resilience, improve governance and address systemic inefficiencies to protect children and promote healthy lives.
Right to protection
Despite efforts at various levels, children in Pakistan remain vulnerable to various forms of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. Children who are exposed to violence can suffer acute and long-term damage to their physical, cognitive, social and emotional development. Birth registration and Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS); child sexual abuse; violence against children including harmful practices like child marriages, forced conversion and child marriages; economic exploitation of children; street connected children; child trafficking; juvenile justice; Internally displaced people; refugee children and alternative care are topics which are discussed in detail with recommendations for improvement under the theme of right to child protection.
According to the NCRC report, 'forced conversions, especially of young girls from Hindu and Christian communities, are a serious violation of their fundamental rights and freedoms. Abductions and subsequent forced conversions and marriages to older men are frequently reported in Sindh and Punjab. The situation is particularly critical in Sindh province, which accounts for 69% of all reported cases, followed by Punjab with 30% case. Among these victims, 71% of victims are being children under the age of 18 while 22% were under the age of 14. Weak legal protections and societal apathy allow perpetrators to act with impunity, leaving families traumatised and powerless.'
The National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) has consistently condemned forced conversions of women and girls, and called for the enactment of laws addressing forced conversions, recognizing them as a form of gender-based violence. The National Commission on Human Rights (NCHR) has even recovered minor girls from perpetrators in Sindh and Punjab considering forced conversion a violation of basic human rights. Thus all three NHRIs in Pakistan realize the problem of forced conversions and recommend for legislation and its implementation.
Right to participation
Child participation is one of the four guiding principles of UNCRC. This right is explicitly articulated in Article 12 of the UNCRC which states that children have the right to express their views freely in all matters affecting them and that these views must be given due weightage keeping in mind their age and cognitive abilities. The report examines the right to child participation in Pakistan, identifying obstacles that hinder its fulfilment and proposing ways to strengthen its implementation for a more inclusive and equitable society.
Children's participation is discussed in schools, in family context, in legal and judicial processes, in policy and advocacy and in media with legal framework and recommendations to enhance it. While recommending that electronic and print media should create dedicated programmes and sections for children, promoting voices of children on societal issues and government should support children in creating content on platforms like YouTube and TikTok by offering mentorship and providing necessary resources, such as digital literacy training, content creation workshops, access to safe online spaces, child online protection and grants for educational and creative projects, the report also asks for Implementing ethical standards for engaging children in media contexts.
Addressing the knowledge gap
It was a strong feeling while reading this report that the availability of updated data is a critical problem in Pakistan. This report addresses the scarcity of literature on the child rights situation and serves as a foundational resource for policymakers, researchers, development partners, and advocates. Importantly, it is also timely given Pakistan's upcoming review by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.
Nabila Feroz Bhatti is a human rights activist and columnist. She is Member Working Group at National Commission on the Rights of Child. She can be connected at [e-mail] or on X: @NabilaFBhatti
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