The writer is editorial consultant at The Express Tribune, news junkie, bibliophile, cat lover and occasional cyclist
Child protection has been a hot-button issue in the media in the last two years, with grisly instances of failure to protect in the headlines far too often. The casual reader might assume that there is no mechanism in place to protect vulnerable children, that the state really does not give a damn — and that would be wrong, at least in Punjab.
A visit to the Child Protection Office in Bahawalpur and a meeting with Mrs Naushaba was positively heartening. We had last met almost two years ago and she spoke of her struggle to create infrastructure for child protection in the area. At that time, there were only hostel places for boys, none for girls, with the nearest place for a vulnerable girl being in Lahore.
Things are changing. A new child protection unit is nearing completion in Rahimyar Khan, and in Bahawalpur, the DCO has allocated 48 kanals to build a child protection complex. It will house 200-bedded hostels, staff accommodation and a child protection court — somebody somewhere is taking child protection very seriously indeed and committing significant resources to making it a reality. The project timeline is five years, which is far too long, and with development spending slashed by the government, there must be uncertainty about funding. But the point is that the provincial government and its officers are actually doing something about a serious problem that can only get worse.
In the here-and-now, there is a functioning child protection helpline that comes directly to Mrs Naushaba. It only functions when she is in the office, but never mind; something is better than nothing. She receives calls and investigates, and from previous contact with this quietly formidable woman, I would imagine that she does so with a steely professionalism and determination.
We found ourselves sitting at the same table the next day, attending a presentation on behalf of Unicef that was updating progress on a project to protect children’s rights in cotton-farming areas. The project is five years into a seven-year programme and going well. It receives considerable funding from an internationally well-known Scandinavian maker of furniture that uses cotton in many of its products. A fine example of corporate social responsibility, an international entity and government departments working together. Not everything had worked perfectly but overall, more children were shown to be attending school in project areas, they were healthier and cleaner, and the downstream positive effects will be generational.
None of this is going to grab the headlines. There will possibly be small local reports in the press or on TV and they will be drowned out by the daily fare of blood, bombs and bullets.
Bad news sells newspapers and keeps us glued to our TV sets. Good news is rarely dramatic or photogenic. And even if we are presented with a piece of good news, we are sceptical of the motives of the people or agency that is generating it. Good news, no matter how good, tends to be viewed through a prism of disbelief in a country where the population is inured to being lied to or deceived on a daily basis.
It is thus, no stretch to see a profoundly negative picture of Pakistan, its people and how they live their lives, and this is a distortion of reality. There really are people like Mrs Naushaba who go about the business of doing good for small remuneration and in difficult conditions. There really is support coming from my favourite maker of lounge chairs, and Unicef and its local administering partner — an indigenous NGO — really are making a qualitative difference to the lives of tens of thousands of children, and they are doing that every day.
I will not fail in my duty to poke a sharp stick at failure and corruption, but take note Dear Reader, all is not lost and there are, after all, reasons to be cheerful.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 13th, 2014.
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COMMENTS (4)
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Good to know that some good is happening somewhere. What worries me is that once it is pointed out, like you have done, forces will act and try and put a stop to it.........all in the name of religion. Anyway the good news is that possibly four people will read this and the fabulous Mrs Naushaba will keep doing good.
Mr Cork. In a male dominated society such as Pakistan, I am not optimistic in regard to the future rights of young females. Apart from incorrect male thinking a whole heap of legal hurdles have to be cast aside before any real start can be made.
Commendable. As always a pleasure to read you, Mr. Cork.
Mr cork, best of luck for your endeavors and optimism. A well wisher from India. Ran rakha