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  The State of Pakistan’s Children 2004 is the eighth edition of SPARC’s annual reports that document and analyze the situation of children during the past year, and measure their everyday conditions in the country, and to an extent in Afghanistan, against international commitments and standards.
The SPARC report assesses the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child’s implications and applications to children’s lives, monitors the extent to which legislation, policy and practice comply with its principles and standards and, within this broad framework, highlights issues specific to the country. The six chapters in the 2004 edition, compiled from the media, other reports and surveys and first hand information, deal with child rights (introduction), child labor, violence, education, health and children in Afghanistan.
The chapter on Education gives an analysis of the prevailing condition of education in Pakistan. Though each government says it attaches top priority to education and introduces new projects and schemes, the education sector lies in disarray, with too few schools, too few teachers, poor quality, disparities between the various systems of education, low enrollment, and a high number of students being pushed out of school before completing their primary school. To improve the situation the central role must, of course, be played by the government. Quality public education is the right of all people. This is a responsibility the government must not be permitted to release itself from. The chapter on education gives an analysis of the Government’s policy and initiatives, targets and progress and a thorough overview of the international initiatives for education in Pakistan’s context. Some efforts have no doubt been made in this field but they have been rather slow and insufficient.
The chapter on Child Labor reviews the situation of child labor and bonded labor in Pakistan while also giving the international scenario. The worsening situation of poverty is depicted in the growing number of child laborers in different sectors of the country. The chapter shows a province and year wise review of the enforcement and implementation of the Employment of Children Act 1991, which indicates that the situation is deteriorating with time. The chapter discusses in detail ILO’s International Program for the Elimination of Child Labor, examining each of the seven projects under it. The bonded labor section of the chapter portrays a dismal picture as the feudals who are responsible for this evil take proud ownership of this system. The chapter describes the laws regarding bonded labor in Pakistan, the projects being undertaken for its elimination, the Bonded Labor System (Abolition) Act 1992 as well as the National Plan of Action for the Abolition of Bonded Labor and Rehabilitation of Freed Bonded Laborers (2001) and projects for elimination of bonded labor. Poverty is usually cited as the main cause for massive child labor and bonded labor, but the question is whether child labor is actually helping to alleviate poverty or increasing it.
The chapter on Juvenile Justice deals with the situation of children in contact with the law in Pakistan. It gives details on the striking down of the JJSO (Juvenile Justice System Ordinance 2000) by the Lahore High Court, on the grounds that it was unconstitutional, unreasonable and impracticable.
It tells about SPARC’s appeal against the judgment and the stay order subsequently issued by the Supreme Court. It highlights the implications for children of the FCR (Frontier Crimes Regulation 1901), under which collective punishment could be imposed on anyone in the tribal areas for a crime committed by anyone in his or her family or tribe. The juvenile justice system, an area widely ignored in the past, should be improved and given a uniform consideration throughout the country without any discrimination. As a matter of urgency, the government should take some concrete steps to improve this situation of children in contact with the law.
The chapter on Health focuses on the health indicators of children in Pakistan and major issues in 2004, such as the polio eradication initiative, HIV/AIDs, malnutrition, and maternal care. It can be seen that despite the enormous health burden in the country, budgetary allocation to the health sector remains at its traditionally low levels, and lower than other countries in the region. The government has to take necessary steps to overcome the health problems prevailing in the country as children are the worst victims of this poor system and have a low standard of health and development.
The report on Violence Against Children in 2004 depicts a gloomy picture. This chapter discusses the types of violence children are prone to in Pakistan and their implications. These include child abuse, corporal punishment, child sexual abuse, children in conflict situations, street children, child abuse through traditions and customs, trafficking, camel jockeys. It then describes the government initiatives for the elimination of violence against children. The prevalence of violence against children is rising in the society, and it is carried out with impunity. The main causes of violence are poverty, frustration, anger, ineffective governance, weak or no institutional infrastructure for protection and poor implementation of law. Added to this list is the tacit acceptance of abuse and violence by the society and the unchecked cultural practices that aid and abet more violence against children in Pakistan.
The final chapter deals with the state of Children in Afghanistan. Despite the efforts of local and international organizations to ensure their welfare, the situation is still generally poor. It focuses on issues like birth registration, education, health and nutrition, violence and infant mortality. |
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KARACHI, Oct 27: Parents of 18-year-old Tasleem Solangi, who was killed in an extremely inhumane manner allegedly by some elders of her tribe, have appealed to President and Sindh Chief Minister to provide them protection as “killers are still at large and have not been arrested because of their connections with police”.
