Zubair Qureshi
More than 25 buildings across Pakistan turned blue as the country celebrated World Children’s Day – a global day of action for children, by children, to raise awareness on the need to help millions of them realize their rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).
In order to celebrate this momentous day, the Federal Ministry of Human Rights and UNICEF turned more than 25 iconic landmarks and monuments blue in Islamabad on Nov 20 (Friday) to express their commitment to children’s rights.
This is the 3rd year in a row that buildings in the country and across the globe are lit-up to call for a world in which the vision of the Convention of the Rights of the Child becomes a reality for every child.
The iconic buildings were lit up blue in Pakistan and all around the world to celebrate World Children’s Day and demonstrate our solidarity with children. This is also a reminder of the government’s strong commitment to defend children’s rights and to ensure that they are safe and protected against abuse.
“We will continue to work to make sure that our children, who are our assets and the future of our nation, can live in a safe, enabling environment,” said Dr Shireen Mazari, Federal Minister for Human Rights.
“World Children’s Day is an opportunity to remind ourselves and the world how important it is to cherish, protect and empower our children. Government work and partnerships at every level will help us deliver a better world in which every child can realize their dreams and live a safe, carefree life,” said Rabiya Javeri Agha, Secretary, Ministry for Human Rights.
World Children’s Day also marks a commitment to listen to the voices of children, adolescents and young people as they demand to be heard on issues that matter to them and ask to be part of the solution. Children must be included in decisions that affect their future, especially as this year brought forth new challenges related to the Covid-19 crisis.
“While millions of girls and boys in Pakistan have seen their lives improve, millions of others continue to grapple with poverty, inequality, and lack of access to the essential services,” said Aida Girma, UNICEF Representative in Pakistan.
