KARACHI:
Amid the threat of extinction, brought about by climate change, and the current global pandemic, many fail to acknowledge that children are being completely excluded from contemporary discourse. Being dependent on a guardian or parent, they remain without a collective voice and are often neglected by society as a whole. This is one of the reasons why social evils such as child marriage, child labour and child abuse still persist not only in Pakistan but across the world.
The recent case of Greta Thunberg, a child environmental activist who has gained international recognition, is a case in point. To all those criticising her ideas and her disability need to realise that the world is embroiled in such chaos that even children are becoming highly aware of it. But why is this so? The fact is that children are not only being physically affected by pollution and the deteriorating climate, but their psychological state has also started to alter since it is becoming harder for them to imagine a future for themselves. While adult politicians are busy bickering over useless accusations, children like Greta Thunberg are fighting for what actually matter. They refuse to sugar-coat or downplay the crisis in order to incite fear among adults by claiming that the world is on fire — a fact that has become evident through the raging wildfires in America. Perhaps, like children, we need to explain to world leaders that our world is sick and in need of severe treatment without which the whole of humanity will be at risk. The idea of individual state dominance and diplomacy is over; what is now necessary is collective action.
Unfortunately, even after their helpless plea, the world remains unmoved. It is about time that we realise the grave threat hovering over us and work towards protecting our children by creating a sustainable future.
Gulsher Panhwer
Johi
Published in The Express Tribune, October 6th, 2020.
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