NAWABSHAH, Nov 20 (APP):Like other parts of the county, Universal Children day was also celebrated in Nawabshah on Saturday. In this connection a seminar was organized by the Hari Welfare Association and the District Social Welfare Department.
Children urged the district and provincial governments to earmark the funds and take extraordinary steps to protect children’s future ensuring their right to live, survive, health and education.
Sabreen, Child Club Leader said that in 2019, 861 cases of child abuse were reported in Sindh by an NGO Sahil including 155 cases of abduction, 231 cases of missing children, and 85 cases of child marriages.
In the same year total 104 child marriage cases, 82 percent were reported in Sindh. Moreover, in the year of the 10 most vulnerable districts regarding abduction in Pakistan seven belong to Sindh, including Khairpur, Sukkur, Larkana, Hyderabad, Dadu, Ghotki, and Nausheroferoz.
These cases reveal that protection of children was not ensured by the state and the relevant authorities to every extent.
He added that in 2020, the same number (861) of children were abused in the province. This includes 390 cases of child sexual abuse, 190 children were abducted, 231 cases of missing children, and 81 cases of child marriages.
Rabia, Child club leader shared that in 2016-17, Pakistan Education Statistics reported 6.4 million children, including 3.3 million girls out-of-school in the province. and unable to attend school because of poverty, no nearby schools, lack of government’s interest to invest in education, lack of awareness, and higher rates of corporal punishment.
Kashaf Parveen, Child Club leader stated that the higher illiteracy rate results from a feudal structure that forces the poor to stay in the cycle of poverty and marginalization.
He also said that most of the schools in the province were out of basic facilities, which hampered education.
On occasion, President HWA, Akram Ali Khaskheli said that on universal children’s day, each district department should have organized activities to make children and adults aware of their rights but the government had little interest in it. He said that the worst forms of child and bonded labor are also prevalent in the district, but no steps are taken to address these issues.
Child Protection Officer Shaheed Benazirabad said that every child has a right to protection and after 18th amendment Sindh has child protection authority, under this authority we have established Child Protection Units in each district for the protection of children.
Abid Lashari from National Disability Forum, Zaib-ul-Nisa Incharge complaint cell Women Development Department, Asif-ul-Bashr from HRCP, Abul Rehman Khaskheli from SWD also expressed their views in the seminar.
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