KARACHI: Speakers at a walk held on Saturday in connection with Universal Children’s Day expressed concern over rampant violation of children’s rights in the country and rising incidence of child abuse.

They demanded that the government take immediate action against culprits of child abuse and ensure provision of fundamental rights to children.

The walk, which started from Arts Council and concluded at the Karachi Press Club, was organised by Konpal, Child Abuse Prevention Society, in collaboration with Medical and Social Welfare Committee of Arts Council.

A number of children rights supporters, parents, doctors, teachers and children participated in the walk with the theme ‘Investing in future means investing in our children’.

Many people participate in a walk to mark Universal Children’s Day

“If we want to secure our future, the first thing we must do is to protect our children from abuse. This can be done with strict implementation of all laws pertaining to children’s rights in letter and spirit and taking immediate action against culprits of child abuse,” Dr Aisha Mehnaz said.

The senior paediatrician and chairperson of Konpal regretted official apathy towards children’s rights and said the whole nation would have to pay the price of this indifference.

“Pakistan has no future if it fails to invest in its children that constitute more than half of its population. The whole nation will pay the price of official apathy, if the government fails to provide justice to victims of child abuse,” she said.

Prof Mehnaz also referred to the United Nations Convention on Child Rights to which Pakistan was a signatory and said it contained fundamental steps required to be taken to help ensure mental and physical well-being of a child.

Dr Qaiser Sajjad, chairperson of the medical and social wing of Arts Council, highlighted how persistent official neglect had affected children’s health.

“A disturbingly high number of child abuse cases, growing malnutrition and preventable infectious diseases in children and low immunisation coverage, especially in Sindh, is a matter of big embarrassment for us,” he said.

The speakers emphasised that the government, community and political leaders give priority to the problems being faced by children.

Sindh PMA president Dr Mirza Ali Azhar also spoke.

Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2021