Achievements

General Measure Taken to Improve the Situation of Girl Child in Pakistan

  Pakistan  ratified UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1990). Initiated for convening of World Summit for Children 1990 Prepared National Plan of Action in line with out come of World Summit for Children 1990.Pakistan joined the SAARC partners in declaring of Decade of Girl Child in SAARC Summit at Male, Maldives in 1990.National Plan of Action for Girl Child developed in line with SAARC Declaration for the improvement of situation of Girl Child in Pakistan. Ratified Convention on Elimination of all form of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)- 1996. Constituted National Expert Committee on Registration at Birth headed by Chairman NADRA, for work on computerized system for the registration of children Project will be launched after 14th August 2001 under the new local government system. Children under 18 years of age including Girl Child will be issued birth registration certificates.
Developed Draft National Plan of Action to Combat Child Abuse and Sexual Exploitation in line of Stockholm Declaration and Plan of Action. Adopted of National Policy and Plan of Action for Elimination of Child Labour (2000). Cabinet approved signing of two Optional Protocols to Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) on Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict and Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography. Cabinet approved on ratification of ILO Convention 182 on Elimination of Worst Form of Child Labour and Convention 100 on Equal Remuneration for Men and Women for Work of Equal Value.

 Promulgation of Juvenile Justice System Ordinance –2000.

Media networking on the children has been initiated to support achievements under social sector development focused on right of the Child / Girl Child.

SAARC Decade of Girl Child 1991 – 2000 

During this period there was no substantial increase in allocation of financial resources in the education sector. It started around 2.1% and increased to 2.5% before coming down again to 2.1% of total GNP. The Social Action Programme phase-I and II were mainly concentrated on improvement of Girl Child access to the primary education. The Enrollment rate of the female children increased from 43% to 63% while the enrollment rate of male children increased from 81% to 86%. Number of primary schools for girls increased from 44602 to 48000 in public sector and 2200 in private sector. In this way middle schools for girls increased from 5000 to 6000 in public sector and 2000 in privates sector while the girl high school increased from 3000 to 4000 in public sector and 2000 in private sector, since 1998 to 2000. Under Girls Primary Education Development Project ( GPEDP phase-I ) 800 model community schools were established ( at a cost of Rs.1762.92 million) and Rs. 2736.3 million have been allocated for (GPEDP phase-II).
The Education Foundation has established 200 community schools with the help of 20 NGOs.
Non-Formal Education project for adolescent girl / rural women aged 15-25 Projects costing 42.8 million US$ has been launched aimed at benefiting 200,000 rural women in skill development, employment and in come generation.The Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal has established 52 rehabilitation / education centres for working children with components for girl child. While 384 such centres are being opened by NGOs and other private sector enterprises. At the policy level education reform ( 2001-2003) has been concentrated on creating gender balance in education at all level.

In future all new schools will be mixed schools.

70% teachers in new schools will be female.

The recruitment age of female teachers has been relaxed to increase their availability.

To retain girl child in rural school free text books, stipends and nutritional supplement are being provided in disadvantaged and far flung areas.

Government has encouraged female participation in governance by allocating 33% seats to them in Local Government level. This will have direct/ indirect benefits and far-reaching positive impact the girl child in Pakistan.

During this period there was no substantial increased in allocation of financial resources. It was around 0.7% to 0.9% of total GNP.

Infant mortality rate (IMR) has decreased from 106 /1000 in 1990 to 81/1000 in 1998.

Under 5 mortality rate (U5MR) decreased from 162/1000 in 1990 to 108 /1000 in 1998.

Under weight prevalence due to severe and moderate mal-nutrition among under-5 children reduced from 48 in 1990 to 28 in 1998.

Gender equality through adoption of lady health workers programme and women health project. 56,000 lady health workers have been recruited. 856 maternity and child health centres are working all over the country where 2200 nurses and 13000 LHVs have been appointed.

Trafficking in Children

Pakistan is an ideological country having strong social, cultural and religious values which provides due protection against the evil of human trafficking. But it is an admitted fact if the contributing factors to the problem are prevailing and are becoming stronger day by day, there is every possibility of further intensification of the problem. Like other developing countries Pakistan has poverty, illiteracy, population growth, unplanned urbanization, unemployment, gender discrimination dysfunctional families, rural-urban as well as cross-border migration, and non prevalence of a comprehensive social security and support system. All these problems are contributing factors for promotion of human trafficking. There is no authentic data available on the subject but the existence of the problem is a recognized phenomenon. Pakistan is being used as transit as well as destination state for human cargo. Evidence for both transit and source trafficking from Pakistan is available. During last 10 years, estimated number of 200,000 women and girls, between 12-30, have been trafficked from Bangladesh to Pakistan. Motives behind trafficking of children are to use them as prostitution, child labor, slavery or bounded labor, beggars, entertainment (camel jockey, forced marriage) and for organ trade. Thousands of young children from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are victims of cross-border trafficking to the Gulf States for being employed as camel jockeys. The FIA immigration staff have made hectic efforts to nab the carriers taking kids to Middle East and have registered 62 cases against 94 such agents.

 

S. No.	Name of Zone	Cases Registered	Agents Involved
1.	Lahore	11	11
2.	Karachi	49	73
3.	Rawalpindi	02	10

 

Steps Taken

Article (11) of the constitution which prohibits slavery, forced labor states:
Slavery is non existent and forbidden and no law shall permit or facilitate in any form.
All forms of forced labor and traffic in human beings is prohibited.Article (25) that deals with discrimination against any citizen. states “All citizens are equal before law and are entitled to equal protection of law”.“Nothing in this article shall prevent the state from making any provision for the protection of women and children”.

Section 370, Pakistan Penal Code, 1860. Buying or disposing of any person as a slave: “Whoever imports, exports, removes, buys, sells or disposes of any person as slave, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years and shall be liable to fine”
Section 371, Pakistan Penal Code, 1860. Habitual dealing in slaves: “Whoever habitually imports, exports removes, buys, sells, traffics or deals in slaves, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for term not exceeding ten years, shall be liable to fine”.
National Data Base registration Authority NADRA has been created to computerize particulars of citizens for issuance of National Identity Cards, which will minimize the chances of forgery in National Identity Cards.
National Alienation Registration Authority has been set up to register foreigners especially from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burma and Sri Lanka.

New security features in passports are being introduced to discourage foreigners

Immigration check posts are being computerized to check illegal immigration.

Possession of false documents has been made illegal not only in PPC but also in Immigration Ordinance, 1979 and Passport Act, 1974.
Law Commission considered addition of section 371 A in the PPC 1860 as follows:- “373-A Trafficking in Children for engaging as camel jockey”.
Setting up of an Inter Ministerial Committee on formulation of an effective policy and legislation to combat the trafficking of children for use as camel jockeys in Middle East.

Poverty Alleviation Programmes 

10 year perspective plan having provision of shelter house. 

Future Course of Action

Pakistan Law Commission has constituted a committee to review legal provision concerning all the issues of trafficking including camel jockeys.

Review of legislation, Police and Judicial reforms. An endowment for providing free legal assistance

Networking/ database

Capacity building, Awareness raising

Focal points (core groups on policy and planning to combat child prostitution and trafficking)

Street Children

The of street children lies with urban centers. In the last three decades, the uncontrolled growth of urban agglomeration, especially in Third World, has led to an alarming increase in the number of street children with attendant growth in violence and general social unrest. Street children are homeless and live away from the family and reside in their own. There are two types of street children first, those who are completely homeless never visited their families and second type is of those children who frequently or on periodic basis (often two days, week or a month) visited their families. Street is considered as their home where they make their living, live and even die in the street, their whole life revolves around the streets. In developing countries they are the product of rural urban migration, poverty, unemployment and broken families, but in developed countries they are product of alienation and systematic exclusion. This phenomenon is prevalent only in urban areas.  In Pakistan the street children are the product of poverty, unemployment, broken families, drug addiction, school runaway and rural to urban migration. The numbers of street children have been increased due to the influx of Afghan refuges. These children make their living thorough begging; selling flower, car washing and doing some work in hotels and work shops. Most of them can be found near bus stands, cinema house and shrines etc.

No comprehensive study has ever been made to collect the information about street children.

Action to be taken.
1. There should be national level survey on the street children.
2. These children should be given special treatment
3. These children should be provided education, health and shelter houses.

Situation of Orphan Care

The orphaned/abandoned children form one of the most unreached categories of children. In Pakistan, there are more than 250 orphanages including SOS villages. The orphanage homes provide shelter to children who are not necessarily orphan but have been abandoned by their parents. As compared to the other categories of under children a proper system seem to bee lacking for such children. Problems of children in orphans.

1. Children are socially and physically innovated
2. A majority of orphanages have been established by religious organizations/ groups and are madrassa-cum-home. These children therefore, are not in the mainstream.
3. Community intervention is almost missing.
4. The children are at great risk of physical, social, psychological and sexual abuse.
5. Such children are socially stigmatized.
6. The effective implementation of available legislation is also lacking.
7. The proper monitoring system is also lacking.
8. In some cases children are made to beg for their institutions.

9. Children have no recreation and socialization facilities, have low self esteem and little hope for future.

Suggested Measures

1. Formulation of legislation at national level. Legislation is already enacted in provinces of Punjab and Sindh whereas it is missing in the other provinces. Formulation and effective enforcement of legislation could support any intervention program.
2. communities societies be mobilized through involvement of NGOs to initiate community intervention program.
3. A rapid survey may be conducted at local level to assess the situation of such children and after works it may be replicated at national level
4. Efforts should also be made for capacity building of such institutes so that children could have adequate facilities and their rights are ensured.
5. There should be capacity building programme for the concerned personnel/care takes.
6. Child should be mainstreamed.

Situation of Child Abuse

Introduction

The issue of child abuse and exploitation was rarely acknowledged in the past. Due to growing awareness, the problem of child abuse has sought a lot of attention both from Government and NGOs. Keeping in view the complex and serious nature of the issue the government has recognized/ acknowledged the problem of child abuse and exploitation. However, no concrete measures have been adopted to address the issue. The situation about child abuse is as under:

The Child Abuse is very serious and hidden issue.

The individuals/society is not allowed culturally to expose and talk about the issue.

This often happen with the runner children, street.

Children and children who involved in child labour.

No recognition of child abuse by Government and society.

No vigilance and monitoring on the issue.

The problem exist in especially big cities, but no proper data is available in this regard.

Need to address the issue adequately .No mechanism exists to counter the issue.

NGOs are to be mobilized in this area.

NCCWD Initiates

Establishment of Expert Committee on protection rights.

Development of Awareness material i.e. poster in collaboration with Asia Pacific and Cultural Centre (ACU).

The NCCWD prepared a Plan of Action for prevention, rehabilitation and reintegration of victims in collaboration with ILO-IPEC. being drafted by NCCWD.

Enhanced coordination to mobilize PCCWD's and NGOs to address this issue.

Prepared a National Report on sexually Abused children in collaboration with UN-ESCAP, Bangkok.

The issue of child abuse has been included in the child welfare and development policy