“The girls in Pakistan face stark challenges in their education, health, nutrition and well-being. Estimates of the number of out-of-school children in country range from 20.3 to 22.1 million, out of which 12 million are girls. Pakistan is home to nearly 19 million child brides and ranks 6th globally in early child marriages. In addition, more than half of adolescent girls, or 54% become pregnant before their 18th birthday which can be life-threatening for the mother and the child. Almost 55% of adolescent girls are anemic”.
These views were expressed by speakers at a seminar “Girls’ Vision for Future”, organized in connection with International Day of Girl, by Women in Struggle for Empowerment (WISE) here today (Friday) at a local hotel. A large number of community women, domestic workers, students and young girls joined the event.
Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Bushra Khaliq, Executive Director WISE said girls are often subject to societal pressure to conform to certain ideals of beauty, behavior, and domesticity. These ideals may promote passivity and discourage girls from asserting their independence or pursuing ambitious careers. In many parts of Pakistan, girls face restrictions on their mobility. They may be discouraged or outright forbidden from participating in outdoor activities, sports, or social gatherings that are seen as inappropriate for women. This limits their opportunities for personal growth and social development.
She said girls have the right to a safe, educated, and healthy life, not only during their formative years, but also as they mature into women. If effectively supported and educated, girls have the potential to change the world – both as the empowered girls of today and as tomorrow’s workers, entrepreneurs, mentors, household heads, political leaders, and mothers. By investing in girls' leadership, we unlock their full potential and pave the way for their brighter future. High level of attention is required to address the challenges girls face and to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights, she added.
Sidra Humayun, Program Coordinator - UN Women said many girls are subjected to physical, emotional, or sexual abuse in the home, often by family members or relatives. Cultural norms often prevent girls from speaking out against such abuse due to the stigma it carries. She talked about safeguarding strategies to address Gender-Based Violence against girls and women. Highlighting the importance of young women leadership, she emphasized the need for investment in realizing the power of girls upholds their rights today and promises a more equitable and prosperous future, in which young women are equal partner.
Nabila Bhatti, Member Working Group at National Commission on the Rights of Child shedding light on issue of Child Marriage said, despite legal prohibitions, child marriage is still common, especially in rural areas. Quoting UNICEF figures, she said Pakistan is home to nearly 19 million child brides and ranks 6th globally in early child marriages, she added. In addition, more than half of adolescent girls, or 54% become pregnant before their 18th birthday which can be life-threatening for the mother and the child. Around 21% of girls in Pakistan are married before the age of 18, she observed. The govt should comply with international conventions and create awareness at community level against early girl marriages.
Imran Mehboob Khan, representative of Punjab Police Integrated Command Control & Communication Center, Punjab Safe City Authority, stressed the need for public awareness regarding child protection.
He told the audience that PSCA has established virtual child care center in its office linked throughout the Punjab, which addresses a range of issues of child abuse including the cases of child missing, run away children, molested or abducted children. Sharing figures, he told that Safe City Authority has received 30,000 complaints regarding children. Out of which majority of complaints were resolved successfully.
Nazir Ahmad Gazi, Coordinator Child Rights Movement (CRM) stressed the need of girl empowerment through education. He told that 26 percent of girls and 19 percent of boys had never been to school. Girls face harassment in school and on the way to school. They face challenges to their security in public spaces, transportation, and near schools. Given this, parents either delay girls’ education or prevent them from attending school altogether. The second most important reason parents give for not sending girls to school is the distance to schools, which is a factor that exacerbates parents’ security concerns: the more distant the school, the more risk for girls, he opined.
Ms. Humaira, Child Protection Officer, Child Protection & Welfare Bureau, discussing safety mechanisms for effective child protections, told that her department is making efforts to rescue and protect the children from criminals. CP&WB not only provides food and shelter but also imparts education and skills to these children to make them useful citizens, she added. We make endeavors for reunification of destitute children with their families. Besides this, the child psychologists take various measures for mental development and rehabilitation for these children. A child helpline 1121 has also been set up which provides guidance, help and coordination for rescue and protective custody of children, she added.
Dr. Noor ul Zaman, Director, Phoenix Foundation Foundation said teenage drug addiction is a genuine issue of rapidly increasing among youth, particularly among students including girls of academic institutions terming it as a serious social problem confronting the Pakistani society. He said parents should build strong and friendly bonding with their siblings to help them in their stressful situations, which is one of the common reasons for drug use initiation. Safe academic institutions environment and strong family system together can help in uplifting this menace from our society, he added. We need to engage our youth in healthy co-curricular and sports activities to prevent them from indulging into drug addiction. Pakistan needs to fight the malaise of drug addiction among students of academic institutions on a war footing basis, he added.