Despite the fact that we ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1990 and made it the law of the land, we have observed it only in the breach. PHOTO: FILE
Yet, it is not surprising that the rights of children are not taken seriously in Pakistan. Despite the fact that we ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1990 and made it the law of the land, we have observed it only in the breach. Street children are often arrested and jailed under the Vagrancy Act of 1958 even though they have committed no crime and are being punished only for being homeless. By law, all children in the country have been promised the right to education and are forbidden from being employed before they reach adulthood. On top of that, children below a certain age cannot be tried for crimes. Amazingly enough, though, all these laws set different ages as an upper limit to describe a child.
A report by an international NGO, Save the Children, revealed that Pakistan has more child deaths than just about any other country in the world. And with the devolution of social services to the provinces after the passage of the Eighteenth Amendment, there has been no concerted national strategy to improve the plight of children. Thanks to the malign influence of religious extremists, diseases that primarily affect children, like polio, are now coming back in a big way. Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf declared 2013 the year of children’s rights but this seems to be only a rhetorical device. There is much that needs to be done and a start could be made by explicitly banning corporal punishment for children in and outside of school.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 4th, 2013.
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We surely wouldn't want to end up with problems like UK faces now. No corporal punishment means no discipline, no fear or regard of any sort. The UK is facing challenges to deal with young hoodies; they pose serious threat to elderly by bullying and serious pranks. During my stay in UK i had to be on my guard. I always preferred to take a busy road instead of quiet street to avoid any unpleasant encounter with young hoodies. They became notorious for 'happy slapping'. Those kids did not belong to drug estate area, they were normal kids but out of control causing serious social problems and law and order situation.
I agree not to punish a child in a way to damage him or her physically. But we have no idea that total abandonment of corporal punishment would raise further serious issue to deal with. I have worked with a reputed private school, where corporal punishment is not allowed, the students are just so rude, lack respect for teachers and elders. I felt it extremely disgrace to teach those kids. I am very liberal minded person. I love many of Western traditions, culture and other stuff, but what i have seen that we cannot go along that road. I was educated in typical Pakistani school. I respected my teachers, elders and peers. I could not have imagined to disgrace anyone with my actions or behaviour. I agree to have creative learning environment where students can express their views, ideas and can be nurtured. We do not just want to give education or degrees we want people are responsible, able to respect society and law. We do not want teenagers who are out of control involved in vandalism, bullying, threatening and misbehaving with others. Some people are just so keen to take this approach of 'no corporal punishment' and I have been witness to adverse reactions of it already. I have witnessed and experienced myself in the UK - a secular and liberal country. If they are having to handle to control their 'unpunished' uncontrolled, with no corporal punishment than we must get ready for even worse because we imagine what sort of problems we would have tackle with. Think again before it's difficult reverse such behaviours. I am totally against barbarism and brutality.