TThere are a reported 1.5 million street children in Pakistan, but according to UNICEF they are subject to various forms of exploitation, violence and trafficking. remain vulnerable to
"I am very worried that my brothers and sisters will be kidnapped. Street children are sometimes raped, killed, and dumped in the city's garbage dumps." explains his 13-year-old Fatima*, who lives in a makeshift shelter on the banks of the Ravi River.
Fatima was forced to live on the streets at the age of seven to support a family of ten. She continues: I feared for my life and there were times when men tried to force me out.
One day Fatima made only £1.50 selling flowers
(Paddy Dowling)
Form of the Child Protection&Welfare Department headquartered in Lahore from which state support comes. Sara Ahmad, chairman of the department, said:
“During the pandemic, many families have lost their income and the number of children forced to beg on the streets has surged. We have rescued hundreds of street children in a single day.”
Atfat, 10, lives in a Lahore slum, selling and begging on the streets.
(Paddy Dowling)
But Fatima's father Ahmed* explained: increase. They are taking our children off the streets and thus robbing us of our family life. We have no choice but to take the children out on the streets and ask them to help us.
Although well-intentioned, the round-up of street children has created many other problems, including for parents who do not have Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs). to get the children back on their behalf.
A boy finds aluminum cans and plastic bottles in the trash to sell
(Paddy Dowling)
Eight-year-old Azrah participates in an informal school project in the Ravi River slum. Her family of six lives on 500 rupees (£2) a day
(Paddy Dowling)
friends in the classroom , smile and return the English alphabet to the teacher. She explains: Coming to this center is the highlight of my day. Without this center, she would have spent her days either caring for her five siblings and her two sisters, or begging to help her parents on the street. "
The center in the slums of Lahore is a collaboration between her NGO in the UK and local partners.
Rahmiya lives in a railroad slum and relies on a children's center
(Paddy Dowling)
Providing a lifeline to the most marginalized children in the poorest areas of Lahore through accelerated learning programs in non-formal education and helping children to be formally registered with the government.
This collaboration will fund two of her schools in her two areas of Shaadhara and Ravi River. "If a child misses even one of her days of school, outreach her team will visit the home to make sure the child is not in danger or missing," the center's project said. The person in charge explains.
Children helping their parents with their laundry in the slums of the River Ravi
(Paddy Dowling)
``We must do everything in our power to improve the lives of children living on the streets,'' explains a local partner. The British charity and its partners have requested anonymity so as not to affect their work.
and this has extended to situations where some families are forced to force their children into child labour, so we are obliged to protect the parents and employers of such children. We will work with them to enable them to attend classes.”
Nine-year-old Shaima lives in a squatter settlement along the Ravi River. She attended a state school, but dropped out of school in favor of the center
(Paddy Dowling)
Yalina, 5, a beneficiary of a school in the slums of the River Ravi, is forbidden from walking in the streets by her father for fear of her safety
Eleven-year-old Abdul* works as an apprentice welder six days a week in a metal factory for a total wage of 300 rupees (£1.20). The center approached his employer and negotiated to release him for two hours of non-formal education a day.
The problem of child labor in Southeast Asia is not confined to Pakistan, where3.4 million child laborers (from the age of 5 to her 17) live there. increase. India reports 5.8 millionand Bangladesh 5 million children.
Abdul, 11: "It's hard work, but I'm proud to support my family."
(Paddy Dowling)
In addition, the partnership funds vocational training, school feeding programs, psychosocial support and medical care for young people.
This includes identifying substance abuse. Dr. Ahmed Nadeem, Medical Officer, Department of Child Protection and Welfare, explains: It is no longer uncommon for a child to inject heroin by the time she is ten years old.
In a dried up canal in the center of the city, a 14-year-old drug user snorts heroin without wanting to reveal her name. "I dropped out of school and have nothing to do. Due to peer pressure, I started using drugs when he was 9. I would like help to stop using drugs." , we have no support, ”he says.
A Lahore drug addict presents an opium stone. They believe it came from Afghanistan. doing. There are many people involved in the chain, and the central government has pledged to work with the anti-narcotics department to address supply issues.
"The problem of drug addiction in Pakistan is very real," says Dr. Noor Zaman Rafeeq, who is the chief physician at a private rehabilitation clinic. “Here in the Punjab, my whole family injects heroin. There are an estimated 80,000 drug users in Lahore and the state is still not well supported. I remain hopeful for the future. Until that support is available, few families can afford six months of rehabilitation which costs £1,500.”
34% of children under five. Only are nationally registered at birth, thus forfeiting the rights normally conferred on children. The economic challenges they face mean that they continue to slip through the cracks of society, making them vulnerable to exploitation of every conceivable kind. City
(Paddy Dowling)
Today, despite government efforts to create a more inclusive education, an estimated 22.8 million people ofchildren are still out of school, the second highest in the world. Children in classrooms are less vulnerable than children out of classrooms.
"My dream is to study. That's all," explains Alina*, her 13-year-old. her father worked. Without this school, there would be no education and no dreams.
Alina, 13, lives with her grandmother after the death of her mother
(Paddy Dowling)
While aid agencies and non-governmental organizations on the ground remain committed to working with Pakistani authorities to address the needs of the It's not without its challenges.
In 2018, the government expelled her 18 international aid agencies from the country. The expulsion reflects the advocacy of aid workers against human rights-based organizations that not only address issues of women's rights and free speech, but also provide health care, education and food assistance.
*All names and ages have been changed to protect individuals
