Posted on August 10, 2025
The State of Children in Pakistan 2024 report was prepared by and launched on April 30 of this year by the National Commission on the Rights of the Child (NCRC). Made by the federal government on February 28, 2020 as an independent statutory organ, the NCRC has the global mandate for promoting, protecting and achieving the rights of the child, as devoted to the constitution of Pakistan, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and other international obligations.
Pakistan has ratified several key Treaties from United Nations Human Rights which provide a large framework for the protection of children’s rights. The NCRC report notes that there have been persistent delays in the submission of periodic relationships on the United Nations treaties by the Government of Pakistan, including the practice of combining several late reports. While the Government follows progress in the realization of its treaty obligations thanks to the designated ministries and the cells for implementing treaties, delays weaken the effectiveness of these mechanisms and hamper timely commitment with treaty organizations and the implementation of recommendations.
The final observations and recommendations of the Treaty bodies provide a framework in Pakistan to fill the gaps in policies, legislation and implementation, with regard to children’s rights and related issues. The alignment of national and provincial laws and policies with international standards is crucial for Pakistan to fulfill its international obligations and commitments, but more importantly, such legislative harmonization will also help improve the situation of the rights of children in the country.
The report examines the rights of children in the four main pillars of the UNCRC: development, survival, protection and participation. Each section examines the situation in the field, emerging trends, legal frameworks, institutional responses and disparities. The report concludes each thematic field with targeted recommendations for decision -makers, civil society organizations and development partners for reactive and effective children’s policies and programs in Pakistan.
Right to development
According to the report, the population of 47% of Pakistan is under 18, including 51.6% of men and 48.3% of women. Children outside the school (OOSC) remain a challenge, with more than 26 million children aged 5 to 16 currently outside the school. 77% of children in Pakistan are classified as “poor learning”, which means that they are unable to read and understand a simple text at the age of 10. In Pakistan, inclusiveness is particularly critical for marginalized groups, including children of low -income families, disabled children, children of minority communities and transgender children, who face systemic barriers to participation and education. Education possibilities should be widened for children from marginalized groups by attacking specific obstacles.
At the national level (rural), 11% of public schools questioned and 11% of private schools said they had disabled children. Physical accessibility remains inadequate in schools, with only 23% of public schools and 55% of private schools equipped with ramps, while accessible toilets are available in 51% of the government and 57% of private schools. Critical support services, such as hearing assistance and specialized staff, remain rare and available in 21% of private and practically non -existent schools in government institutions. Handicaps linked to vision and mobility are most commonly observed; However, even these cases on average less than one child per school, highlighting gaps in identification and inclusion.
In 2024, the education allowance fell to 1.7% of GDP, a drop of 2.1% in 2020. Unfortunately, it reduced to 0.60% in the current budget. It is lower than the global average of 4.3%. The federal and provincial government must work collectively and increase education expenses to at least 4% of GDP, aligning global standards.
The report focuses on children’s right to play and recommends that all schools should introduce a game policy that requires 30 to 45 minutes of daily play in schools. Provincial governments should convert the vacant urban land available to safe playgrounds through local partnerships in the government’s education department.
Right to survival
The report explores the multifaceted dimensions of children’s survival in Pakistan, approaching health, nutrition, water, sanitation, hygiene and interaction between climate change and children’s well-being. Despite the progress of immunization, high mortality rates in newborns and children under the age of five reflect essential gaps in maternal and infant health care.
Strong population growth is significant pressure on the limited resources of Pakistan and economic stability and highlights the urgent need to prioritize investments in children. Without expanding public spending on education, health and child protection, the future has limited possibilities for children and Pakistani risks perpetuating the cycle of poverty and inequality.
Pakistan must adopt comprehensive policies and programs, centered on children and inclusive that target health care, nutrition and climate resilience, improve governance and approach systemic ineffectiveness to protect children and promote healthy life.
Right to protection
Despite efforts at different levels, Pakistan children remain vulnerable to various forms of violence, abuse, negligence and exploitation. Children exposed to violence can undergo acute and long -term damage to their physical, cognitive, social and emotional development. Registration at birth and civil registration and essential statistics (CRV); Children’s sexual abuse; Violence against children, including harmful practices such as children’s marriages, forced conversion and children’s marriages; economic exploitation of children; children linked to the street; Children treats; justice for minors; Internal displaced people; Refugee children and alternative care are subjects that are discussed in detail with improvement recommendations under the theme of the right to child protection.
According to the NCRC report, “forced conversions, in particular young girls from the Hindu and Christian communities, constitute a serious violation of their fundamental rights and freedoms. Subsequent abductions and forced conversions and marriages to older men are frequently reported in the Sindh and Punjab. The situation is particularly critical in the province of Sindh, which has 69% of cases, followed by Punjab with 30% of victims. Being children under the age of 18, while 22% were under 14. Low legal protections and societal apathy allow authors to act with impunity, leaving traumatized and helpless families. »»
The National Commission on the Statute of Women (NCSW) systematically condemned the forced conversions of women and girls and called for the promulgation of laws on forced conversions, by recognizing them as a form of violence based on sex. The National Commission for Human Rights (NCH) has even recovered minor girls from the authors of Sindh and Punjab, considering forced conversion a violation of fundamental human rights. Thus, the three NHRIs in Pakistan carry out the problem of forced conversions and recommend legislation and its implementation.
Right to participation
The child’s participation is one of the four guiding principles of the UNCRC. This right is explicitly articulated in article 12 of the UNCRC which indicates that children have the right to freely express their point of view in all questions affecting them and that these points of view must be given by keeping in mind their age and their cognitive capacities. The report examines the right to participate in children in Pakistan, identifying the obstacles that hinder its fulfillment and propose ways to strengthen its implementation for a more inclusive and fair society.
Children’s participation is discussed in schools, in the family context, in legal and judicial processes, in policies and advocacy and in the media with a legal framework and recommendations to improve it. While Recommending That Electronic and Print Media Should Create Dedicated Programs and Sections for Children, Promoting Voices of Children on Societal Issues and Government Should Support Children in Creating Content On Platforms Like YouTube and Tiktok by Offering Mentorship and Providing Necessary Resources Such as Digital Literacy Training, Content Creation Workshops, Access to Safe Online Spaces, Child Online Protection and Grants for Educational and Creative Projects, The Report Also Asks for Implementing Ethical Standards for Engaging Children in Media Contexts.
Facing the knowledge gap
It was a strong feeling when reading this report that the availability of updated data is a critical problem in Pakistan. This report addresses the scarcity of the literature on the situation of the rights of the child and serves as a fundamental resource for decision -makers, researchers, development partners and defenders. Above all, it is also appropriate given the next Pakistan exam by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child.
Nabila Feroz Bhatti is an activist and human rights columnist. It is a member working group at the National Commission for the Rights of the Child. It can be connected to [email protected] or on x: @nabilafbhatti
All the facts and information are the sole responsibility of the author
