A community awareness program was conducted in a small town of Talwandi in District Kasur on July 19, 2018. This program was attended by 65 men and women. The session was focused on child marriages – to understand the community’s perception towards this practice and to share information on how this practice is harmful for the wellbeing of their community.
It was observed that the community members did not consider this practice to be harmful and held the opinion that girls should be married off at the early age. A few teachers who were present in the audience, however, differed from the
general opinion and strongly stated that families should consider girls a burden or symbol of family honor and they should at least be allowed them to reach adulthood before they enter into a marriage.
Pamphlets and booklets on child marriages were distributed amongst the participants.
Dastak CRU will be continuing its efforts in this community and holding its next session in the same community.
To celebrate International Women’s Day 2019, Dastak staff and its beneficiaries participated in the 2nd Annual Aurat Azadi March held in Lahore.
Dastak CRU convened a parliamentarians briefing to discuss and follow up on the status of child protection legislative agenda. The objective was to bring together a group of newly sworn in national and provincial parliamentarians and Child Rights Movement (CRM) members to discuss pertinent issues related to child protection with particular focus on child marriages and child domestic labor.
At the consultation, the present situation of child protection in Punjab and Islamabad was discussed and the parliamentarians’ attention was drawn to urgent interventions necessary to enhance protection of children from violence and exploitation. Different ways were also explored through which CRU and other members of CRM can support the government in strengthening the protection systems. The parliamentarians also shared information about new laws and amendments in the existing laws on child protection that were in the pipeline.
All the parliamentarians in attendance showed serious commitment and political will to the address the issues raised in the meeting. Dastak CRU along with other CRM members will be working closely with the parliamentarians to benefit from their renewed and fresh resolve to improve the legal framework on child protection and ensure child rights remains a top priority in the government’s agenda.
The meeting was attended by the following 12 parliamentarians:
- Mehnaz Akbar Aziz (MNA)
- Tahia Noon (MPA)
- Mehwish Sultana (MPA)
- Bushra Butt (MPA)
- Sumbal Malik (MPA)
- Nafisa Amin (MPA)
- Rana Mannan Khan (MPA)
- Sadia Rohail Rana (MPA)
- Shamsa Ali (MPA)
- Sadiqa Sahibdad Khan (MPA)
- Uzma Kardar (MPA)
- Talath Naqvi (MPA)
Dastak Child Rights organized Children’s Annual Event 2018 on 18 December 2018 at Alhamra Cultural Complex where it brought together children from across Punjab to celebrate their talents and to enhance their socialization skills and self-confidence. The event was attended by nearly 300 children from different cities of Punjab. It comprised of an art and talent showcase including a children’s art display and twelve performances of dance, singing and drama. A video presentation on an environment campaign called Chotay Qadam Saaf Watan started by the CA members was also shown to the audience. The event ended with an energizing performance by Lal band.
Participating Institutes: Children from the following institutes attended and participated in the event:
- Bali Memorial Technical School, Lahore
- Pakistan Society for the Rehabilitation of the Differently Abled, Lahore
- SOS Sargodha
- SOS Sialkot
- SOS Multan
- SOS Faisalabad
- SOS Hermann Gmener School, Lahore
- Najaf Grammar School, Lahore
- Lahore Education Society, Lahore
- Bunyad Foundation
- Dastak Informal School
Rights of the Girl Child and Elimination of Child Marriages: Community Awareness for Social change
An awareness program was conducted for residents of communities located near Firdous Market, Gulberg 3, Lahore. This program was attended by 40 men and women. The session was focused on child marriages. To create better understanding of the damaging impact of child marriages, a small play was performed by a social theater group followed by discussion on the play and communities perception towards the practice.
Pamphlets on child marriages were distributed amongst the participants.
Dastak organized a talent show for children of SOS Village in Multan. A series of activities were planned for children including a painting, dance and singing competitions. A total of 102 children attended the show out of which 50 participated in the competitions. Gifts were distributed to the winners and refreshments served to all children participating and attending the show.
Custody and guardianship laws are outdated and need reform in order to accommodate legal process for adoption or foster care. The CRU has initiated a move for proposing a draft law for a comprehensive and child rights sensitive adjudication of custody disputes and to give legal recognition to adoption and foster care. In this regard, CRU organized a one-day national consultation of experts to review the relevant law. Experts from all four provinces attended the consultation comprising of lawyers from Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta and Karachi and representatives from Child Protection and Welfare Bureau, Punjab and SOS Children’s Village Punjab.
After a preliminary review of the Guardian and Wards Act 1890, it was agreed that a new and updated law is required instead of amending the existing law to address the custody and guardianship challenges faced today. A Law Review Group was formed from amongst the participants, which will work on formulating a new law. The first draft was expected to be completed by August 2018. The draft law will then be circulated to law-makers, civil society actors, media and NGOs to use as an instrument for advocacy for legislative reform and attitudinal changes on the custody and guardianship of children and modes of alternative care that is suited to their best interest.
Dastak held a talent competition at SOS Children’s Home in Sialkot. Children showcased a variety of talents including singing, painting and dancing. The theme of the painting contest was ‘Keeping the Environment Clean’. Winners of the talent show will be invited to Lahore for a National Event on Universal Children’s Day 2018.
Dastak organized ‘Consultation and Panel Discussion – Provincial Child Protection Agenda 2018’ in Karachi on April 24, 2018. The aim of the consultation was to frame an effective action plan at the provincial level for the elimination of four core issues: child domestic labor, child sexual abuse and commercial exploitation, corporal punishment and child marriages.