Published 10 August 2025
The State of Children in Pakistan 2024 report was prepared by and launched on April 30 this year by the National Commission on the Rights of Child (NCRC). NCRC was established by the federal government on February 28, 2020 as an independent statutory body and has the overall mandate for promoting, protection and fulfillment of children’s rights as laid down in Pakistan’s constitution, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and other international obligations.
Pakistan has ratified several central UN human rights agreements that provide a broad framework for the protection of children’s rights. The NCRC report notes that there have been sustained delays in submitting periodic reports of UN Tractates from the Pakistan government, including the practice of combining more overdue reports. While the government is tracking progress in fulfilling its treaty obligations through designated ministries and treaty implementation cells, delays weaken the effectiveness of these mechanisms and hinder timely commitment with treaty bodies and implementation of recommendations.
The Treaty Organs’ Final Observations and Recommendations provide a framework for Pakistan to tackle gaps in politics, legislation and implementation in relation to children’s rights and related questions. Adaptation of national and provincial laws and policies with international standards is crucial to Pakistan to fulfill its international obligations and obligations, but more importantly, such a regulatory harmonization will also help improve the situation of children rights in the country.
The report examines children’s rights across the four core columns in UNCRC: Development, survival, protection and participation. Each section examines the situation on Earth, new trends, legal frameworks, institutional answers and differences. The report ends each thematic area with targeted recommendations to decision makers, civil society organizations and development partners for responsive and effective child -focused policies and programs in Pakistan.
Right to development
According to the report, Pakistan’s population is 47% under 18, which is 51.6% male and 48.3% female. Children (OOSC) outside the school remains a challenge with more than 26 million children aged 5-16 at the moment out of school. 77% of children in Pakistan are classified as “learning poor”, which means they are unable to read and understand simple text at the age of 10. In Pakistan, inclusiveness is especially critical of marginalized groups, including children from low -income families, children with disabilities, children from minority society and transcend children facing systemic obstacles to participation and performance. Educational opportunities should be expanded to children from marginalized groups by tackling specific barriers.
At national level (rural), 11% of the investigated government schools and 11% of private schools reported to have children with disabilities. Physical accessibility remains inadequate in schools where only 23% of public schools and 55% of private schools are equipped with ramps, while available toilets are available in 51% of the government and 57% of private schools. Critical support services, such as hearing aids and specialized staff, remain scarce and available in only 21% of private schools and practically non-existent in government institutions. Disability related to vision and mobility are the most commonly observed; Even these cases on average fewer than one child per child. School that highlights gaps in identification and inclusion.
By 2024, the education for education has dropped to 1.7 percent of GDP, a decrease from 2.1% by 2020. Unfortunately, it drops to 0.60 percent in the current budget. It is lower than the global average of 4.3%. Both federal and provincial government have to work collectively and raise education costs for at least 4% of GDP, which adapts to global standards.
The report focuses on children’s right to play and recommend that all schools need to introduce a play policy that requires 30-45 minutes daily games in schools. Provincial governments should convert available vacant urban areas into secure playgrounds through partnerships with local government education.
Right to survival
The report examines the multifaceted dimensions of children’s survival in Pakistan, which addresses health, nutrition, water, sanitation, hygiene and the interaction between climate change and children’s well -being. Despite the progress of immunization, high mortality reflects among newborns and children under five annual critical gaps in mothers and children’s health care.
High population growth is a significant burden on Pakistan’s limited resources and financial stability and highlights the urgent need to prioritize investment in children. Without expanding public spending on education, health and child protection, the future has limited opportunities for children and Pakistan risks that maintain cycle of poverty and inequality.
Pakistan has to adopt extensive, child -centered, inclusive policies and programs targeting health care, nutrition and climate riots, improves governance and addresses systemic inefficiencies to protect children and promote healthy lives.
Right to protection
Despite efforts at different levels, children in Pakistan remain vulnerable to different forms of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. Children who are exposed to violence like urgently and long -term damage to their physical, cognitive, social and emotional development. Birth Registration and Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVs); sexual abuse of children; Violence against children, including harmful practice such as marriages with children, forced conversion and marriages with children; Economic exploitation of children; Street affiliated children; Trade in Children; Juvenil Justice; Internal displaced people; Refugee children and alternative care are topics discussed in detail with recommendations for improvement under the theme of children’s protection.
According to the NCRC report, “forced conversions, especially by young girls from Hindu and Christian societies, are a serious violation of their fundamental rights and freedoms. Abductions and subsequent forced conversions and marriages to older men are often reported in Sindh and Punjab. Under 18 years of age, while 22% were under 14. Families traumatized and powerless.
The National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) has consistently condemned forced conversions of women and girls and called for the adoption of laws relating to forced conversions, and recognizes them as a form of gender -based violence. The National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) has even recovered smaller girls from perpetrators in Sindh and Punjab considering forced conversion a violation of basic human rights. Thus, all three NHRIs in Pakistan realize the problem of forced conversions and recommend for legislation and its implementation.
Right to participation
Child participation is one of the four indicative principles of UNCRC. This right is explicitly articulated in Article 12 of the UNCRC, which says that children have the right to express their views freely in all issues affecting them and that these views must be due to a proper emphasis on their age and cognitive abilities. The report examines the right to children’s participation in Pakistan and identifies obstacles that hinder its fulfillment and suggests ways of strengthening its implementation for a more inclusive and fair society.
Children’s participation is discussed in schools, in family context, in legal and legal processes, in politics and advocacy and in media with a legal framework and recommendations to improve it. While they recommend that electronic and print media should create dedicated programs and sections for children, promote votes from children on societal issues and the government support children in creating content on platforms such as YouTube and Tiktok by offering mentorship and providing necessary resources, such as digital literacy education, content workshops, access to secure online space, children online The report also for implementation for implementation of establishment, access to secure online space, children online protection and grants for education and creative children in media contexts.
Addressing the knowledge
It was a strong feeling while reading this report that the availability of updated data is a critical problem in Pakistan. This report relates to a lack of literature on children’s rights situation and acts as a fundamental resource for decision makers, researchers, development partners and advocates. It is important that it is also given the Pakistan’s upcoming review of the UN Committee on the child’s rights in a timely manner.
Nabila Feroz Bhatti is a human rights activist and a spalist. She is a member working group in the National Commission on the Rights of Child. She can be connected at [email protected] or on x: @nabilafbhatti
All facts and information is the author’s sole responsibility
