1.5 million children face online abuse

UNICEF-backed report urges govt action against online grooming

ISLAMABAD:

Around 1.5 million internet-using Pakistani children aged 12 to 17 were subjected to sexual exploitation and abuse online in a single year, according to a report launched by the National Commission on the Rights of the Child (NCRC) in collaboration with UNICEF Pakistan.

The Disrupting Harm in Pakistan report, funded by Safe Online and implemented by ECPAT International, INTERPOL and UNICEF, estimates that around 1.5 million internet-using children aged 12 to 17 were subjected to sexual exploitation and abuse online in a single year.

Speaking at the launch event, NCRC Chairperson Ayesha Raza Farooq said the same technologies that empower children were increasingly being used to harm them.

She stressed the need for legislative reforms, child-centred and trauma-informed reporting and justice mechanisms, accessible psychosocial support for survivors, and greater awareness among children, parents and teachers.

UNICEF Pakistan Representative Pernille Ironside said the digital world should be a safe space for children and called for stronger systems to prevent abuse and hold perpetrators and digital platforms accountable.

The report examined the nature and scale of online sexual exploitation and abuse, experiences of children and caregivers, perspectives of frontline professionals, and gaps in Pakistan's legal and institutional response.

During a panel discussion, Child Protection Institute Director General Rabeea Hadi called for a multi-sectoral approach involving case assessment, case management, psychosocial support and community-level prevention.

NCCIA Deputy Director Muhammad Akram said effective implementation of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act was essential to address online grooming, solicitation, cyber enticement and other forms of technology-facilitated abuse.