Muhammad Asad
ISLAMABAD: Civil society of Pakistan and Children rights defenders gathered in Islamabad to raise awareness about Children rights on the eve of World Street Children day. The social activists from Society for Protection and Rights of the Children (SPARC) and Child Rights Club organized an interactive session with media men in Islamabad on Monday. The NGOs briefed the media about the dire situation of children social needs, education, rights to shelter and life in a civilized society.
Program Manager SPARC, Khalil Ahmed Dogar said that the government must act upon the resolutions of UNO for the rights of the children. According to him, there is a need for integration of efforts being made for improvement in the condition of children particularly those working on roads and indulged in child labour across the country.
He said that unfortunately about 2.5 crore Children are forced to live on the road and severely facing dark future due to non availability of conducive environment and scarcity of resources. He briefed the media that about 56 percent children run away from home due to domestic violence, whereas 22 percent couldn’t attend school due to poverty. Khalil Dogar said that more than 22 percent Children are forced to feed their families and involved in child labour.
According to him, Pakistan must implement the four points UN program to combat the child abuse in the Society. The representatives of Child Rights Club said that there is a need to provide rights to the children without any discrimination and prejudice in the country. It is the duty of the government to provide sufficient funds for the welfare and benefits of the children.
The Child Rights Club activists said that Pakistan is the signatory of the UN Child Protection Convention since November 12, 1990.
