Every Day Should Be Children’s Day
The entire world celebrated Children’s Day on November 20 to cherish childhood, champion children’s rights, and highlight the problems and challenges confronted by the children of the globe.
In Pakistan, educational institutions also conducted festive events. Classrooms brimmed with amusement and echoed with laughter as children delivered speeches, recited poems, and shared their dreams on this delightful occasion.
But when the celebration ended and the decorations were taken down, a question drifted through the moment: Why should the occasion of Children’s Day be confined merely to 24 hours, when millions of children across the country spend their entire year being ignored, invisible, unheard, unrecognized, and unprotected?
Childhood is meant to be a time of innocence, wonder, freedom, imagination, enjoyment, and joyful learning — but unfortunately, it remains a struggle for millions of children in Pakistan.
According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), around 26 million children are out of school in Pakistan. The statistics are staggering, as 10% of the world’s out-of-school children are Pakistani. This is a matter of grave concern. Instead of carrying books, many children carry the burdens of their families by working in workshops, hotels, and on the streets.
For numerous children in Pakistan, classrooms have become hubs of terror rather than spaces for growth, as corporal punishment continues to take place in educational institutions countrywide despite being banned.
Beyond the schools, millions of children confront even harsher circumstances. According to the Child Rights Movement (CRM), there are around 12.5 million child laborers in the country, forced to work while being deprived of the fundamental right to education.
Children view the world through the lens of wonder, imagination, and curiosity. Where adults see impediments, children spot opportunities. But sadly, how can they dare to dream when poverty, violence, and deliberate abandonment have engulfed their entire lives?
Every year, 7,608 cases of violence and sexual abuse against children are reported in Pakistan — that is 21 children per day. According to an Islamabad-based NGO, a child is sexually abused every two hours.
Imagine if every school and madrassah in Pakistan were a safe shelter — where teachers evoked curiosity instead of trepidation, and every home nurtured love instead of violence. Imagine a country where every child, regardless of gender, race, religion, or background, could flip through the pages of books, feel the fragrance of the classroom, and envision a brighter future.
Pakistan ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1990 — a covenant that should endow every child with safety, education, and opportunity. Lamentably, millions are still waiting for these rights to be materialized.
Protecting children’s rights is not just a moral responsibility; it is a national commitment. When we ensure that no child is forced to work, when we shield them from abuse, when we deter child marriage, and when we provide them with quality education, we are investing in the promising and prosperous future of the country.
Children’s Day should serve as a reminder that genuine and meaningful celebration lies in building a society where every child can play safely, learn freely, express openly, explore fearlessly, and grow with pride, dignity, and confidence.
Let’s make each day special for children. It shouldn’t be an occasion of only 24-hour festivity — it must be a permanent pledge that every child in Pakistan will be recognized, acknowledged, cherished, celebrated, and appreciated each day. Because a nation that values its children consistently is a nation that grows perpetually in hope, justice, and compassion.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance, policies, or official position of The Spine Times.
