MITHI: Speakers including public officials, rights activists and teachers have urged segments of society to stand for the rights of children and to stop the violence against them.
A moot with a view to promote objectives of declaration of United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) was organised by Sindh Social Welfare Department and Child Rights Movement in collaboration with Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC), at Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Culture Complex in Mithi Town.
Speakers urged everyone including activists of various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to act to ensure children’s rights in the country, particularly in backwards areas like Thar.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Tharparkar President Senator Gyanchand warned those NGOs least concerned with the sensitiveness of issues being faced by children in Thar to mend their ways. He encouraged every organisation to present ideas to further improve the situation in Thar, which had been in news recently for high rate of infant deaths.
He said such events would not only provide a platform to Thari kids to show their hidden talents but also give the message to other regions of the country and beyond that life in Thar, though difficult, was beautiful because of a progressive and peaceful environment.
He said PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto had directed Sindh chief minister And Ministry of Social Welfare to organise such events in every district to mark Universal Children’s Day. He lauded the efforts of Social Welfare Department in organising the event in Mithi Town. He admitted the fact Thar was the region where there had been extraordinary violations of children’s rights, adding that with the passage of time and positive legislation by PPP government, things would improve.
PPP Sindh Assembly member Dr Mahesh Kumar Malani said that organisation of such events and engaging local communities would greatly help lawmakers to make effective legislation to protect rights of children.
He claimed Thar was fast transforming due to media coverage of incidents and quick response from the Sindh government. He said that scourge of child marriage in the area needed attention.
SPARC Regional Director Advocate Kashif Bajeer claimed that his organisation requested Sindh government for the event in Thar so that people living in other parts of country should also know positive aspects of Thar. He said such activities would not only promote competitiveness among the kids of backward areas but also infuse in them the spirit to take part in healthy activities.
He admitted that situation of children’s rights was not satisfactory, adding that he had observed little efforts both by government and other organisations in stemming out the menace. He observed that there was an increased need to organise such events in all towns and villages of Thar to create awareness among people and discourage child abuse and early marriages. He thanked Sindh government and Bilawal Zardari for taking interests in issues of Thar.
Nuzhat Fatima, Abdul Rahim Lakho, Natho Khan Rahimoon, Partab Shivani, Shusheel Malani, PPP leaders, officials of government departments from different districts also spoke on the occasion.
Published in Daily Times, November 19th 2017.
