Karachi: Children from across Pakistan came together to speak up for their rights at a World Children’s Day commemoration in Karachi, asking decision makers to “Listen to the Future”. Talented child musicians, performers, and child rights champions shared their demands, hopes, and dreams for the future through songs, words, and theatre.
According to United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, the event highlighted the concerns of young advocates about the pressing issues facing their generation. Taqwa Ahmad, a UNICEF Youth Advocate, emphasized the threat climate change poses to the world and the urgent need for their voices to be heard. She expressed that children’s rights are often ignored and called for decision-makers to turn their words into action.
World Children’s Day serves as UNICEF’s global day of action for children and by children, marking the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in 1989. Pakistan, which was the sixth country to sign the CRC on 12 November 1990, has a commitment to promote, protect, and fulfill child rights. However, many of these rights remain out of reach for children and adolescents in the country.
The Chief Minister of Sindh, Honorable Syed Murad Ali Shah, highlighted the urgent need to address issues such as the 26.2 million out-of-school children, high rates of malnutrition, and lack of safe water access. The necessity for a renewed commitment to ensure that all children can grow in safe, nurturing environments was underscored.
Moreover, a staggering 80-85 percent of children experience violent discipline in Pakistan. Recently, the Government of Pakistan pledged to end all forms of violence against children by 2027 at the Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children in Bogotá, Colombia. UNICEF is prepared to support the government and communities to enhance child protection services and uphold children’s rights against violence, exploitation, and abuse.
Mohamed Yahya, UN Resident Coordinator in Pakistan, praised the talent, passion, and vision of the children in Pakistan and stressed the importance of ensuring that children are given their rights. This includes the right to health, food nutrition, protection, clean water, and education, enabling them to achieve their full potential and contribute to building a successful Pakistan.
Children and young people in Pakistan face ‘extremely high risk’ from climate-related threats. Floods, heatwaves, and air pollution have disrupted schools, reducing children’s opportunities to learn, while the country deals with an education emergency.
Abdullah Fadil, UNICEF Representative in Pakistan, pointed out that children, who constitute almost half of Pakistan’s population, are seldom considered in decisions impacting their futures. He called for urgent action to uphold children’s rights and ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive. As world leaders prepare for COP29 in Azerbaijan, children are urging adults to address the climate crisis and prioritize their futures.