Prime Minister, Shaukat Aziz will inaugurate National Children Day on February 15 at Convention Centre. He will also sign the pledge "Say Yes to Child Rights Movements in Pakistan". Federal Minister for Social Welfare, Zobaida Jalal and Secretary Ministry of Social Welfare, Aleem Mehmood will also address the gathering. The students of different schools will give theatre presentations on child labour, protection against child abuse and child friendly school initiatives.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz will present " National Children Awards" to the children and "Child Rights Shields" to child rights activists. The students of different schools and teachers will also attend the celebration.
Despite all of these celebrations no solid effort was being made to improve the plight of the millions of children in the country, with 42 percent of the population of 149 million people aged below 14 years. Nearly 51 percent of the population was under 18.
According to the study of Unicef and local NGOs, 40 percent of the children, less than five years suffered malnutrition, the growth of at least 60 percent of the children between six months and three years was poor and 42 percent were anemic or underweight.
Official statistics showed that at least 23 million children in Pakistan had never been to schools and the youth literacy according to UNDP remained among the lowest in the world.
Around 2.4 million boys and 0.9 million girls were engaged in child labour as half of these children were below 10 years and make up one quarter of the unskilled workforce.
According to the International Programme for Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) data 87 percent of these child labourers were illiterate and majority of them are working as bonded labourers in the agricultural sector, brick kilns, tanneries, carpet industry and at roadside hotels.
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