Daily Times

The savage floods of last year devastated Pakistan beyond our imagination. No qualms about that. Yet, whatever little relief efforts a fragile government has been able to hand out to those impacted by the deadly waves have been targeted towards adults. Meanwhile, the UN agency for Children is busy ringing alarm bells for the welfare of children who remain critically exposed to boiling temperatures in Pakistan.

The lives and well-being of millions are increasingly threatened as children cannot adapt as quickly to temperature changes. But the risk does not even begin to end at their (lack of) bodily adaptations. An estimated 40 per cent of children are said to be suffering from stunted growth. Quite believably so. When millions upon millions in the affected areas still remain deprived of fundamental provisions even today, how can parents be expected to look after the nutritional requirements of their children?

Socio-economic instability continues to be a major factor. With families struggling for adequate housing, proper resources and sufficient food, there is an unbelievable impact on the children. Outbreaks of diarrhoea, malaria and dengue fever are on the rise. More troubling is the educational journey cut short for many, due to which we can easily foresee an uneducated generation in the next 10 years.

Those who are supposed to lead the country out of the dark tunnel are neither healthy nor empowered to carry the phenomenal burden. All because the state could not adequately invest in climatic resilience or prioritise the welfare of the vulnerable segments living under its flag. Amid widespread reports of human trafficking and assaults on minors making use of the utter chaos, there is always a need for the relevant authorities to carve out a special plan to take the children–easiest of the targets–under their wing when the going gets tough. *