HYDERABAD: Children urged the district and provincial governments to invest funds and take extraordinary steps to protect children’s future and ensure their right to life, survival, health, and education in the province.

Children of different school clubs in Benazirabad had gathered in a seminar organized by the Hari Welfare Association and the District Social Welfare Department to mark the Universal Children Day and its theme on ‘A Better Future for Every Child.’ HWA organizes children’s clubs.

Sabreen, Child Club Leader said that in 2019, 861 cases of child abuse were reported in Sindh by Sahil NGO, including 155 cases of abduction, 231 cases of missing children, and 85 cases of child marriages. In the same year, of the total 104 child marriage cases, 82 percent were reported in Sindh.

Moreover, in the year, of the ten most vulnerable districts of abduction in Pakistan, seven belonged to Sindh, which are Khairpur, Sukkur, Larkana, Hyderabad, Dadu, Ghotki, and Nusheroferoz. These cases reveal the protection of children is not ensured by the state and the relevant authorities in every manner. He added that in 2020, the same number (861) of children were abused in the province. This includes 390 cases of child sexual abuse, 190 children were abducted, 231 cases of missing children, and 81 cases of child marriages.

On occasion, President HWA, Akram Ali Khaskheli said that on universal children’s day, each district department should have organized activities to make aware children and adults of their rights but the government had little interest in it.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021