Violence against children rise alarmingly
ISLAMABAD,February 06,2005: Violence against children is rapidly increasing in Pakistan and one clear example of this phenomenon is that since January 2004, 1,684 different cases of physical and sexual violence have been reported in the print media.
The data showed that out of total 1,684 cases, 694 cases of child murdered including boys and girls, 191 cases of rape, 98 cases of gang rape, 146 cases of sodomy, 52 cases of gang sodomy, 167 cases of attempted rape or sodomy and 280 cases of severe torture were reported.
The data also revealed 52 extremely brutal cases of rape or sodomy in which the girl or boy has also been killed after the sexual violence. Total 1,684 figure showed that 95 cases were reported in January, 123 in February, 127 in March, 115 in April, 156 in May, 208 in June, 173 in July, 126 in August, 178 in September, 143 in October, 149 in November and 91 cases of physical and sexual violence were reported in the month of December 2004.
Research on violence against children also informed that during the year 2004, 694 innocent children were brutally murdered and breakdown of the data informed that on an average, 50 children were murdered in every month of the year 2004.
The collected data revealed that in January 26 children both boys and girls were murdered, in February 54, in March 57, in April 40, in May 73, in June 73, in July 68, in August 54, in September 87, in October 61, in November 73 and in December 2004 murder of 28 children was reported in the national and vernacular press.
Both male and female children are vulnerable to all forms of abuse because they are less powerful and more naive. The research informed that during the year 2004, 867 cases of violence were occurred against boys while 817 cases were reported against the girls’ child. The data showed that most of the child abuse cases were reported in Punjab which are 972, in Sindh 490 cases, in NWFP 167 and in Balochistan 55 cases of violence were reported.
The research also highlighted that during the year 237 cases of child physical and sexual abuse were reported in Lahore, 231 cases in Karachi, 64 in Peshawar, 30 in Quetta, 72 in Multan, 51 in Gujranwala, 32 in Hyderabad, 38 in Rawalpindi, 31 in Sargodha, 24 in Sukkur, 25 in Faisalabad, 11 in Larkana, 27 in Khairpur and 21 cases reported in the federal capital, Islamabad.
The survey divulged that poor economic conditions, poverty, unemployment, the low status of girls, lack of education and awareness, eroticisation of children through Internet, inadequate legislation/implementation and poor law enforcement, all contribute to the increasing cases of violence against children.
The analysis of data showed that in 867 cases of child abuse the perpetrator was not familiar to the child while in 190 cases it was acquaintance, in 86 cases it was father, in 19 cases uncle, in 29 cases brother, in 10 cases in-laws, in 23 cases friend, in 60 cases neighbour, in 27 cases maulanas, in 30 cases landlord, in 20 cases teacher and in 18 cases the perpetrator of child abuse was policemen.
Zia Ahmed Awan, President LHRLA, while commenting on the situation said that Pakistan has adopted many child rights instruments to ensure the protection of children in the country but he maintained that current mechanisms are not being able to implement these instruments in letter and spirit. The human rights lawyers added that the future of the country lies in our children and their protection from physical and social hazards is a pre-requisite for proper development of children to ensure future progress and prosperity of the country. He said that legislation is one of the vital instruments for deterring the elements leading to violation of children’s rights and threatening survival, protection and development of children. It can be used as an effective vehicle for promoting social stability, promote social reforms and through the process of law, it can secure the well being of children.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:2/6/2005
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