‘Beggars of Clifton, Tariq Road and Gulshan have well-kept homes’
KU professor shares findings of her research on beggars.
Szabist's Anamta Rafique gave a presentation titled 'Youth activism — Using it as a catalyst for youth development'. STOCK IMAGE
KARACHI:
Using a sample of 140 beggars from 10 different sites of the city, Karachi University social work associate professor Sakina Riaz was able to determine that beggars belonging to Clifton, Tariq Road and Gulshan-e-Iqbal have proper, well-kept homes.
She shared her findings on the socio-economic status of beggars and their involvement in crime on the first day of the International Conference on Management, Education and Social Sciences Research. The two-day conference, with the theme of 'Emerging Nations Perspective', was organised by KU in collaboration with Iqra University. The venue of the event was KU’s Arts Auditorium.
At least 100 scholars and academics shared their research findings on issues pertaining to education and social sciences in the context of emerging nations at the conference.
"Thirty-nine per cent of the beggars in my sample belonged to the juvenile [below 15 years of age] group," she said. According to her, their average daily 'income' amounts to Rs250.
Youth activism
Szabist's Anamta Rafique gave a presentation titled 'Youth activism — Using it as a catalyst for youth development'. Sharing her research on the ban on student unions and its consequences on political engagement, she said that young people become frustrated. Coupled with the lack of employment opportunities, this ban results in making young people easy targets for extremism.
Rafique used a sample of 60 people in her research, which included members of students unions such as the National Students' Federation and the Peoples Student Federation. Sharing a study from the Punjab University, she highlighted how the youth's political engagement is only restricted to social media, which is a tad bit different from the traditional political scene.
She referred to another study while criticising how political parties talk at length about youth facilitation in their manifestos, yet never actively involve the young people in party politics.
She further elaborated on the fact that not only does a ban on student politics exist, but there are negative connotations attached to it in our learning. "Universities don't offer courses in political sciences and civic studies," she said, adding how detrimental this ignorance is to the youth's development.
Girl education and slums
According to Iqra University education and social sciences assistant professor Iffat Sultana, there are a number of issues faced by girls, belonging to areas such as Lyari, Malir, Landhi, Korangi and Baldia, trying to access education. Sharing the findings of her research paper on 'Girls access to primary education within slums of Karachi', she talked about how long distances and a single teacher catering to many pupils are among the issues faced by the 300 female students belonging to these areas.
Citing United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund's findings for the year 2012-2013, she said that there is only 45 per cent of female representation in Pakistan's primary schools. In such unfavourable conditions, the environment of slum areas and socio-cultural obstacles serve as further impediments for young girls in accessing schools.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 5th, 2015.
Using a sample of 140 beggars from 10 different sites of the city, Karachi University social work associate professor Sakina Riaz was able to determine that beggars belonging to Clifton, Tariq Road and Gulshan-e-Iqbal have proper, well-kept homes.
She shared her findings on the socio-economic status of beggars and their involvement in crime on the first day of the International Conference on Management, Education and Social Sciences Research. The two-day conference, with the theme of 'Emerging Nations Perspective', was organised by KU in collaboration with Iqra University. The venue of the event was KU’s Arts Auditorium.
At least 100 scholars and academics shared their research findings on issues pertaining to education and social sciences in the context of emerging nations at the conference.
"Thirty-nine per cent of the beggars in my sample belonged to the juvenile [below 15 years of age] group," she said. According to her, their average daily 'income' amounts to Rs250.
Youth activism
Szabist's Anamta Rafique gave a presentation titled 'Youth activism — Using it as a catalyst for youth development'. Sharing her research on the ban on student unions and its consequences on political engagement, she said that young people become frustrated. Coupled with the lack of employment opportunities, this ban results in making young people easy targets for extremism.
Rafique used a sample of 60 people in her research, which included members of students unions such as the National Students' Federation and the Peoples Student Federation. Sharing a study from the Punjab University, she highlighted how the youth's political engagement is only restricted to social media, which is a tad bit different from the traditional political scene.
She referred to another study while criticising how political parties talk at length about youth facilitation in their manifestos, yet never actively involve the young people in party politics.
She further elaborated on the fact that not only does a ban on student politics exist, but there are negative connotations attached to it in our learning. "Universities don't offer courses in political sciences and civic studies," she said, adding how detrimental this ignorance is to the youth's development.
Girl education and slums
According to Iqra University education and social sciences assistant professor Iffat Sultana, there are a number of issues faced by girls, belonging to areas such as Lyari, Malir, Landhi, Korangi and Baldia, trying to access education. Sharing the findings of her research paper on 'Girls access to primary education within slums of Karachi', she talked about how long distances and a single teacher catering to many pupils are among the issues faced by the 300 female students belonging to these areas.
Citing United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund's findings for the year 2012-2013, she said that there is only 45 per cent of female representation in Pakistan's primary schools. In such unfavourable conditions, the environment of slum areas and socio-cultural obstacles serve as further impediments for young girls in accessing schools.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 5th, 2015.