“I face and see the violation of child rights every day. When will we provide children with their rights?”

A bonded child worker at a Pakistani brick kiln Picture: United Nations

In the world there are a lot of child rights organisations, including many under the United Nations. 

Child rights means that the each and every child has the right of education, health, protection, safety from sexual abuse etc.

All the organisations are behind this cause and it is the aim and responsibilities of them all to do work for the targeted objectives. The UN has declared a constitution about child rights, in which these are clear and described in detail.

To achieve the goals and targets, the UN has given funding to these organisations so they can work for this noble cause.

There are also a lot of local organisations in every state of the world that are working for child rights and getting funds in the name of child rights. Unfortunately, many of their promises are just limited to claims and not results.

To me, they fail in their responsibilities because they are often working for their own interests and not for children and their rights. When will we  is very simple – if all these organisations were sincere in their assigned objectives, they could achieve the targets.

Today we would not have to shout everywhere and on every platform for child rights.

Why I am sharing this here? Because I have seen a lot of children in my dear country and also in the world who are still deprived of their basic rights – whether that is education, health or protection.

All children should be in school and learning in a safe environment

With deep grief I say that many child rights organisations have turned away from their assigned objectives and goals.

If they had not, I would not see a child having a sack of bones and old shoes to sell in the market to buy new shoes for himself.

I could not see a child in a classroom feeling shy due to a torn uniform. I can never forget the feeling of this child when I bought a uniform for him and gave to him so that he did not feel himself inferior to other children. 

I would also not see a child working as a polish boy and earning to support his family because there was no other earner to support his family. For that he was not going to school.

I would not see and hear about sexual abuse of children. I face and see the violation of child rights every day.

But, being a human and civilised citizen, I have the right to ask when will we provide children with their rights? And when will we take some serious steps and initiatives to tackle these alarming issues?

I believe the solution of child rights needs the sincerity and honesty of all concerned organisations and every civilised citizen. If we provide our dear children their rights, I hope that our future will be secure.