Farid Shinwari
PESHAWAR: In an attempt to create awareness among parents regarding physical harassment and torture of children, speakers during an event asked participants to pay heed to their kids and give them more time to fill the gap for ensuring their safety and protection.
The event titled “Mehfooz Bachpan” (Child Protection) aimed at sensitizing and educating parents to take extra care for protecting their children in society from harassment and torture. However, a daylong event was organized at provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under the aegis of Horizon, a non-government organization.
It is to be noted that after the rape and murder of Zainab in Kasur district and Asma in Mardan, the #Mehfooz Bachpan on Twitter had become a popular trend and a kind of movement initiated by social activists to safeguard children.
Representatives of civil society, females, children, journalists and others from all walks of life were among the participants. Earlier, speakers among them Bushra Iqbal Hussain, Dr. Professor Tariq Saeed Mufti and others delivered informative presentations at the event and educated the participants about provincial, national and international laws regarding children.
Bushra Iqbal Hussain, a freelancer and social activist in her comments said that media outlets could cover and report events and issues relating to sensitization and education to children and it is a best platform through which the attention of parents towards their kids could be diverted. Regarding media, she said it can play its due role in help eliminating crimes pertaining to children in society.
“The government should implement its polices and laws in its true letter and spirit for welfare of children and society” she stressed. However, the federal and provincial governments should improve their mechanism for giving swift punishments to those involved in crimes relating to children, she suggested.
Rehana Ali, a social activist while talking to media advised parents to develop trust with their children as first step and then educate them with regard to social evils and other occurrences. In the aftermath of proper education, the children will be able to share and inform their parents with regard to problems that can harm them at all.
Giving more time to kids will help eradicating gape in relations between children and parents as mothers and fathers should have vigilant eye on their kids in schools, community and other places, she appealed. The incidents often occur owing to negligence of parents which worries the entire society, she added.
As the trauma has importance in life of affected male or female as it leaves bad impacts on advance and practical life of that person for entire life, said Professor Dr. Tariq Saeed Mufti, a renowned psychiatrist while talking to media over Mehfooz Bachpan of children. Though, the affected male or female may go towards committing self immolation or quarrel with his or her family members after physical torture, he stated.
