KARACHI: Children, teachers, activists, representatives from government departments gathered to celebrate 30 years of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) with the inauguration of an installation made by children on CRC called ‘Celebrating 30 Years of CRC-Through-Our Hands & Ladders’ organised by the Idara-i-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) and the British Council on the latter’s library premises here on Friday.
“From November 30, 1989 to November 29, 2019, it has been 30 years since the CRC was signed. Pakistan, in 1990, became the sixth country to ratify the convention,” said Baela Raza Jamil, CEO of ITA. “It is good that Pakistan is a signatory to it but a lot has happened in these 30 years where this country has failed its children. For how long are we going to break our promises, our pledges to our children?”
She also asked that when indexes were made, where was Pakistan in the implementation of children’s rights? “In 181 countries Pakistan is at 151st position so, obviously, there is a lot more to be done here. There is a need for building partnerships with civil society, schools and government departments in order to meet our goals,” she pointed out.