Torture on Teenage Condemned
August 2011: CRC Abbottabad condemned the torture on a 15-year- old girl in Haripur district. According to news reports the girl was kidnapped from village Chatterpalin 2 months ago and recovered by the concerned police station.

During investigation the alleged SHO physically tortured the girl. CRC Abbottabad issued a press release and ensured the parents of the victim girl free legal aid if required.

Press Release on Corporal Punishment
August 18: CRC Bajaur issued a press release taking grave concern over the increase of corporal punishment in schools. The long term impact of violence and abuse and drop outs caused due to physical punishment were highlighted.

CRC requested the government to extend ban on corporal punishment notification issued from the education department as well as conduct awareness raising trainings on the issue. The print and electronic media were also asked to highlight and condemn such issues.

Marriage of Two Minors Foiled
MALAKAND, August 1: Malakand levies foiled illegal marriage of two minor girls on the information of Child Rights Committee Malakand. On the special Directives of DCO Malakand Post Commander police station Malakand raided the house where the illegal marriage was in the process and recovered two minor girls. Both girls were given in Swara by their parents to settle the dispute of a woman abduction case, committed by the uncle of minor girls.

Malakand levies arrested accused Ghulam S/O Mustafa and his younger Brother Ishaq on the charge of illegal marriage with minors.

Survey on Child Rights Situation
August: CRC Buner started random survey on child labour in the district. According to the CRC members they faced confrontation from the employers of the child labourers. They interviewed children involved in child labour and alos identified cases where employers admitted shifting their business to Buner because of easily available child labour. Moreover, there is no labour inspector or labour department at the district level, therefore monitoring or ECA implementation is not ensured in Buner making the lives of children miserable.

Jail Visit
August 28: CRC Buner visited the Sub-Jail Dagar to meet the juvenile inmates. Keeping in view the upcoming festival of eid, they distributed eid gifts among them. The gift packs contained soap, towels, clothes and other items. CRC also visited the juvenile ward to listen to the problems of the juveniles. They offered them free legal support.

Card Competition
For the first time in Pakpattan, CRC organized a “hand- made card competition” was held which was later on exhibited at Baba Farid College of Commerce for 4 days. Almost 50 students from different schools participated in the competition.

Monthly Meeting
CRC Jhelum conducted monthly meeting in which the members set a target of 5 complaints to be registered under ECA .They also planned a campaign for registration of ID cards in brick kilns.

CRC Jhelum Awarded the Best CRC of 2011
ISLAMABAD, October 31:  Each year SPARC organizes an annual review meeting for Child Rights Committees in which the progress made by them is shared and awards are given to the best performing CRCs.

This year the CRCs shared their performance through multimedia presentations. They also shared their concerns and challenges faced during their advocacy, lobbying and legal aid services. 

The national award for best  performance was given to CRC Jhelum for their strong coordination and successful meetings with the government departments which resulted in the issuance of notifications ensuring protection of child rights in the district.

CRC Faisalabad was awarded the best CRC of Punjab in recognition of their initiatives for theme based events, strong linkages with local politicians, print/electronic media, police and the public. CRC Faisalabad has also maintained equal gender representation in their membership, held regular meetings and demonstrated good teamwork.

CRC Swabi was awarded the best CRC of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for its active efforts regarding cases of abuse and corporal punishment, legal aid, strong linkages with relevant government departments, and good teamwork.

CRC Dadu was awarded the best CRC of Sindh for its qualitative and quantitative efforts specially passing of notification against corporal punishment and rescue and relief activities during floods.

Monthly Meeting
CRC Sialkot conducted monthly meeting where suggestions were put forward to establish a child resource centre in the city.  The members reviewed the previous performance and planned for the upcoming activities.

Follow up Meetings of CRCs
Regional Manager SPARC Lahore Sajjad Cheema and Program Manager Iftikhar Mubarik visited District Sialkot, Jhelum, Toba Tek Singh and Faisalabad during the month of September 2011 to conduct follow up meetings of CRCs. During these meetings, CRCs presented progress review of their work. SPARC team facilitated CRCs to set their agenda of interventions for next quarter.

Jail Visits
Sajjad Cheema and Iftikhar Mubarik conducted jail visits in Sialkot and Jhelum to observe the conditions of the juvenile inmates and offered them free legal aid. CRC Muzaffargarh visited the local jail to meet the juvenile inmates and provide them legal aid if needed. CRC Bahawalnagar distributed sweete among the juvenile inmates on Eid.

Sexual Assault on a Minor Girl
July 12: CRC came to know through media about a case of sexual assault on a 10-year-old girl while she was grazing her cattle in the fields. The perpetrator managed to escape before the girl’s father and other people gathered at the spot. FIR was lodged by the father of the victim at police station Nando later and with involvement of CRC the accused was arrested. CRC also supported the victim and her family by ensuring medical treatment at Civil Hospital Badin. The case was later taken to court for justice.

Rescue and Relief Activities
As emergency was declared in Badin after disastrous floods in Sindh, CRC team engaged in rescue and relief works, shifting stranded people especially from coastal belt to safer places in District Thatta and Tando Muhammad Khan. CRC held a press conference and staged a protest at press club showing concern for children, their access to health and nutrition, safe drinking water and protection. They demanded the government to figure out a permanent solution of the recurring floods.CRC coordinator also wrote articles in local newspapers highlighting the state of children in relief camps.

Plight of Children Highlighted in Media
September 23: Child Rights Committee shared the plight of flood affected children with the media and urged the authorities concerned to take immediate steps to ensure protection of children. They called upon the education department, social welfare department, Pakistan Baitul Maal , police and health department to deliver their responsibilities effectively in the wake of the current floods.

Medical Camp for Flood Victims
September 11: CRC organized a one day free medical camp for flood victim children and their families at Gulistan e Shahbaz, Jamshoro in collaboration of District health department jamshoro. The team of doctors examined and provided medicines to 428 children suffering from diarrhea, gastro, respiratory disease and skin infections. In addition, 280 adult patients were also treated at the camp.

Attempted rape Case Handled
September 17: CRC handled a case of attempted rape of a 6-years-old girl (T) in RBB colony Jamshoro. CRC coordinator contacted victim’s father who requested CRC to help him get justice through law. CRC held a fact-finding investigation in the case and provided legal support to the victim. Initially Police was reluctant to lodge FIR, so CRC imposed pressure upon police by highlighting the issue in media. Later on FIR was registered and the accused was arrested.

Efforts to Reopen the Schools
September 8: CRC held meetings with local MPA, DCO and EDO-Education and plead them to reopen more than 50 closed schools of the district. CRC also sent a letter to Secretary Education Sindh for same purpose, requesting him to take timely initiatives to re-open the closed schools and promote the girls’ education in the district.

Relief Activities
During the flood, CRC Noshero Feroz evacuated masses from rain- struck areas to safe places, and also visited few camps and shared their observations with the media.

CRC highlighted that the makeshift camps hosting the IDPs in the flood-affected areas of Noushero Feroz reported an increase in waterborne diseases and allergies due to unsafe water and unhygienic conditions. They demanded urgent medical assistance for the affected population against epidemics and urged the government to ensure supply of safe-water supply as well as improved living conditions for the IDPs.

Seminar on Issues of Flood Victims
July 5: A seminar was jointly organized by CRC Qambar, with the cooperation of South Asia Partnership Pakistan on issues of flood victims after floods and way forward. A large number of flood affected people, teachers, students, political & social leaders and journalists participated in the event. It was discussed that despite efforts by civil society, not much has been done at the official level to avoid the loss from disasters. The effect of floods on women and children were also discussed.

Child Shot by MPA’s Guards
September 17: A 16-year-old flood victim of Jhol in Sanghar district was killed when the guards of a local MPA opened fire on the people struggling for relief goods at MPA’s cotton factory. Hundreds of rain-struck people rushed to collect relief supplies, and the guards briefly opened fire to disperse the crowd, killing an orphan Ghulam Hussain Shar, while several others were injured in the stampede. Later, the people with the support of CRC staged a demonstration and demanded the arrest of the killers. CRC supported the boy’s uncle in lodging a case against the guards who were arrested afterwards.

Missing Child Reunified:
August 25: CRC Coordinator was contacted by the President of the eunuchs association Sukkur to hand over a 12-year-old boy found from district Ghotki to CRC. Next day the child was brought to CRD office along with boy, and with support of 15 child’s family was found. After investigation the child was reunified with his family.

Case of Sexual Abuse of Toddler Handled
July 27: CRC conducted fact-finding in a case of kidnapping and sodomy of a 10-years-old child (A) resident of New Pind. The child was kidnapped while he was playing in the street and rendered unconscious by tranquilizers. CRC met SHO Police Station New Pind and pressurized him to arrest the accused. CRC also provided assistance to the victim by ensuring proper medical treatment at Civil Hospital Sukkur.

Protest on Child’s Killing in Police Action July 11:
A child Fayaz Janwri was killed in police firing during an operation against criminals. CRC Coordinator met the child’s family along with legal advisor and CRC members, and condemned this brutal act .CRC offered legal support to the family and also staged a protest at Sukkur press club to arrest the accused police personnel and urged the higher authorities to investigate the case.