Child protection campaign

Muzaffargarh—On the occasion of World Day Against Child Labour, Save the Children has launched a nationwide Child Protection Campaign in Pakistan. The campaign aims at creating awareness about the protection risks faced by children in the aftermath of natural or man-made disasters.

The campaign focuses on three major risks: Child Labor, Child Sexual Abuse and Early Marriages. The campaign includes elements of street theater, radio messaging media task force, and illustrative IEC material. The illustrative material showcases the core messages, concepts developed for the campaign that also forms the basis for the scripts for street theater and radio.

The campaign was launched at Government Girls High School, Khurshidabad in Muzzaffargarh. Save the Children and the Department of Social Welfare organized the event in which over 500 people, including district government officials, local communities and media participated. The Multan Theater Group also performed the Child Protection Play that has been developed for this campaign.

Save the Children spokesperson Khurram Masood said, “All recent emergencies in Pakistan have almost always been child survival emergencies. Children are at greatest risk when a flood or earthquake hits or when conflict erupts. The campaign will compliment other child protection activities that Save the Children is implementing in disaster-affected districts of Pakistan to helpensure that children’s rights are protected especially when a disaster strikes”. Mr Chaudary Saleem, District Officer of the Department of Social welfare said “this campaign for child protection provides a key opportunity for the Department of Social Welfare, media.—INP