ISLAMABAD: The political leadership has no interest in addressing children’s issues, which is why Pakistan has the second highest number of out of school children in the world, and 352,000 children die each year before their fifth birthday, said Child Rights Movement member Arshad Mehmood on Friday.

Mr Mehmood was speaking at a press conference held to mark Child Rights Day, observed on Nov 20, at the National Press Club.

The Child Rights Movement is a network of around 300 NGOs that work on child rights.

Mr Mehmood said the Prime Minister’s Office issued a press release on Child Rights Day that stated that children are the future, but no practical steps have been taken to make that future bright.

Child rights activists call for implementation of existing child rights legislation

“Islamabad is the most developed city in the country and is the federal capital, but laws regarding children are not even implemented in Islamabad. The right to education law was passed in 2012, because of which all children between five and 16 years of age have to get free and compulsory education, but it is not implemented,” he said.

“Unfortunately, budgets are not allocated for the implementation of laws. A number of bills regarding child [rights], such as the child protection bill and the national commission on rights of children (NCRC) bill, are pending in parliament.”

Mr Mehmood said it was unfortunate that politicians did not give the children of Pakistan any importance.

Acid Survivors Foundation Chairperson Valerie Khan said laws are made as cosmetic arrangements and are never implemented.

“Two bills are pending in the Ministry of Human Rights, and they cannot be forwarded to the Cabinet because the secretary seat is vacant. Children are facing physical and sexual harassment, and their rights are violated,” she said, adding that the NCRC should be established.

In response to a question, Ms Khan said the issue of child rights persists around the world, and she has raised the issue in various countries.

Qudsia Mehmood from the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child said authentic data on the children of Pakistan is not available.

“We usually reference a survey on child labour held in 1996, because the government never conducted a comprehensive survey after that. The government says a fresh survey cannot be conducted because of a lack of funds, however the salaries of parliamentarians are increased without hesitation,” she said.

Another member of the Child Rights Movement, Habiba Salam, said Pakistan’s indicators regarding health, education, immunisation and other issues are not impressive, adding: “Parliamentarians do not pay any attention towards children’s issues.”

Published in Dawn November 26th, 2016