KARACHI: To create confidence and awareness among children and their parents to make them active and dynamic part of the society, Foundation of Research & Human Development (FRHD) celebrated Universal Children’s Day with 500 children. The event was organised in collaboration with District Municipal Corporation with support of Tere Des Home (Germany), at Ansar Football Stadium Karachi. Some children involved in the event included: those working in fishing and textile industries, car mechanics or at tyre repair shops. Most of the children had little to no education and barely paid minimum wage, if at all. On the occasion, they highlighted their issues and the threats they face on daily basis and asked the state to opt for productive approach to provide basic facilities and solution for their better future and urged civil society to step forward for betterment of the children, to shield future of the country. Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) Moin Amir, Prisons Secretary Ghanwar Lagari, Sindh University Pro-Vice Chancellor Sarfaraz Solangi, Saylani Welfare Trust Director Arif Lakhani, DMC Korangi Vice Chairman Ahmer, Tere Des Home (Germany) Country Coordinator Salam Dharejo, members of civil society and school children attended the event and ensured their support to work for wellbeing of vulnerable children. Salam recalled that the month of November was commemorated as Global Action Month (GAM) with reference to children’s wellbeing. “Since the year 1954, United Nation’s Universal Children’s Day is celebrated every year on November 20, to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide and to improve children’s welfare,” he said. Pakistan ratified United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) on November 12, 1990 and UNCRC made it obligatory on the states which ratified the convention to take all appropriate legislative, administrative and other measures for the implementation of the rights enshrined in the convention, he added. A panel discussion was also held. MPA Moin Amir, Ghanwar Lagari, Sindh Police SP Shala and DMC-Korangi Vice Chairman Ahmer were the main panellists. The children dialogued about the growing drug problem faced by children and youth. “There are a number of vendors around school boundaries who sell drugs like pan, gutka, chaliya and other kinds to students,” said Moin, one of the children present at the occasion. “As a result, growing number of children are becoming addicts of narcotics. Why don’t police curb the drugs menace?” he asked. SP Shela replied that students also had a responsibility to stay away from drugs and concentrate on their studies. The children also shed light on the problem of child labour in Korangi and that a great number of out-of-school children were involved in manual labour. The children demanded that government should enable them to work and get education simultaneously. DMC Korangi Vice Chairman Ahmer informed the children that they had been collaborating with FRHD and had provided places where a programme will be initiated where education will be provided to children during evening hours. Fatima Haqnawaz, a student, spoke of the rising number of incidents of child abuse. “All stakeholders have to seriously work towards children’s rights to create a friendly and protective environment for them at community level,” she said. “Children in Pakistan face numerous challenges ranging from malnutrition and poor access to education and health facilities to exploitation in the form of child labour,” said Amir Moin. “Their low status in society is making them a victim of daily violence at home and at school. Girls are particularly affected by conservative attitude of the society towards them which impede them from attending or finishing school,” he said. “We could improve living conditions of children via joint efforts of civil society, business communities / employers and government,” he suggested. Ghanwar Ali Lagari appreciated children and their vision; he said all children deserve love, protection and a bright future. University of Sindh Pro Vice Chancellor Dr Sarfraz Hussain Solangi said a good education for children was indispensable to the nation’s wellbeing and sustainability. He said a good start in education in early years was a basic right of children, and also guarantees nation’s progress and success. Though the United Nations declarations and constitution of Pakistan clearly mentions about the provisions concerning children’s rights and state responsibilities towards respectable and dignified upbringing, as well as education of children, but the ground realities are different and lot more is required to properly address the issue, he said. 25 million children in Pakistan cannot go to school and a large majority, more than 10 million, is subjected to forced child labour, harassment, and assault. Published in Daily Times, November 23rd 2017.