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Children from different child rights clubs have urged the district and provincial governments to invest funds and take extraordinary steps to protect the right to life, survival, health and education in the district.
They revealed alarming statistics on education and child welfare in the district. During a seminar organized by Hari Welfare Association (HWA) on the occasion of the Universal Childrens Day in Benazirabad here Sunday, the child leaders said that 32 percent of the children were out of school, with 53 percent being girls, primarily due to poverty, lack of government investment, awareness, and high rates of corporal punishment. Additionally, 48 percent of the districts population had never attended schools, including 26 percent of females, perpetuating a cycle of illiteracy rooted in a feudal structure, they told.
The child leaders who spoke on the occasion including Areeba, Fiza Fatima, Yushfa, Farwa and Yusra who emphasized the prevalence of corporal punishment in nearly all schools, hindering students from reporting due to fear.
They highlighted the scarcity of basic facilities and nonexistent schools in some areas, further obstructing education provision. Malnutrition emerged as a critical issue, with 55 children experiencing stunting due to poor nutrition. Lack of immunization was evident, as around 40% of the districts population,particularly in rural areas, lacked immunization. Child clubs reported 885 cases of violence against children in 2021, including sexual abuse, abductions, missing cases, and child marriages.
Akram Ali Khaskheli urged the government to address child labour and bonded labour, prevalent issues in all districts of Sindh. He remarked that in the tribal districts of Sindh, the lives of peasants and workers children were miserable, devoid of fundamental rights, particularly the right to education.
Owing to persistent tribal feuds, these children face significant obstacles in accessing basic education. Instead, they frequently find themselves involved in agricultural activities or aligning with their fathers in the kacha areas, thereby perpetuating the legacy of tribal conflicts.
