Little focus on child welfare

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The welfare of Pakistan's children remains an afterthought, with over 26 million school-age kids out of school, and millions facing mental and physical health risks due to malnutrition, child labour and child marriage. The latest report by the National Commission on the Rights of the Child shows that even positive reforms are not keeping pace with what is needed to give our youngest citizens a chance at better lives than their mothers and fathers.

One of the most concerning aspects of the report is the disproportionate impact on girls, who make up a vast majority of out-of-school children. Not only does this reflect deep-rooted societal barriers and cultural attitudes toward female education, it also sets up these girls for failure when they grow up — uneducated and less educated women have worse outcomes for health and earning potential.

Lower earning potential also means that such women are more likely to be dependent on their husbands or male relatives for survival, and many women may be forced to stay in abusive marriages because they lack the skills to make ends meet on their own. Also, statistics prove that educated women are much more likely to raise educated children.

But beyond the gender divide, life is especially hard for children with disabilities and those from minority communities, who are often unable to access critical health and education services due to lack of physical access, or structural discrimination.

Most of these problems could easily be addressed head-on through legislation and strict enforcement, but unwillingness to do the former and inability to do the latter have prolonged the quest for effective long-term solutions that would allow all children, regardless of their background, to thrive in a safe environment.

It is also worth noting that gaps in the system created by the government's cash crunch - which is not going to end anytime soon - can be filled by charities and NGOs, if only a framework were put in place.