‘99% of newborns found at garbage dumps are girls’
A group of girls head to school in Gardez, eastern Afghanistan. Five government secondary schools for girls have resumed classes in apparent defiance of a national ban. PHOTO: AFP
Health experts addressed a seminar at Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS), highlighting the pressing issue of neglecting girl children in the country.
Discriminatory treatment begins even before their birth, with a staggering 99% of newborns found at garbage dumps being girls.
The seminar was organised on the occasion of the International Day of the Girl Child, in collaboration with Civil Hospital Karachi.
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Speaking on the occasion, DUHS Registrar, Dr Ashar Afaq, reiterated the university’s commitment to preventing harassment and strictly enforcing laws against sexual assault.
He emphasised the presence of prominently displayed anti-harassment contact information, with immediate action taken on received complaints.
Professor Muzammil Shabana Ejaz discussed the challenges faced by girls in society, such as early marriages and sexual abuse as she pointed out that young mothers confront numerous health issues, and shockingly, 90% of women under the age of 25 lack access to the Internet.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 18th, 2023.