ISLAMABAD: The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) on Sunday launched a special ‘Board Game’ to create awareness among children of BISP beneficiaries about civic education, protection of their rights for their better future. Addressing a ceremony, BISP Chairperson Marvi Memon said that the programme, initially launched in the federal capital, would be soon introduced in all districts that would facilitate over five million beneficiaries across the country. She said that the famous cartoonist Googi and her team had designed the game to educate children on various social, environment, moral, health and hygiene issues. The game includes messages on child protection, nutrition, child labour, freedom of speech, rights of women in Islam, gender discrimination, respect of parents, early marriages, education, drugs, public harassment, savings and many more, she added. Marvi said that basic aim behind the board game was to make the youth aware of their roles and rights as citizens of Pakistan and in which ways they could contribute towards making it better, civilised and a prosperous country. She said that Roots International School was their partner in the drive to disseminate the message of social awareness for a better tomorrow. “Currently 1.9 million children of BISP beneficiaries are getting quality education,” the chairperson said. BISP Secretary Omer Hammed Khan said that the BISP had launched a number of programmes on protection of child rights. He added that games could help disseminate messages to raise voice for children and act promptly for ensuring their safety. He said that during the inauguration ceremony, BISP children from the nearby districts of Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Attock, Haripur and Jehlum participated but soon people would get benefits of the initiative at their doorsteps. Hundreds of children with their families took part in the moot and enjoyed the initiative taken by the BISP, Googi, the famous cartoonists and Roots International School. Sharing her remarks on the occasion, Zafran BiBi, a BISP beneficiary from Rawalpindi, said that she was quite happy that an awareness games had been introduced, which would help children to keep them safe, learn good moral and social lessons. Published in Daily Times, March 5th 2018.