Pakistan is home to over 112 million children, nearly half of its population, yet millions continue to face severe challenges, as highlighted in the State of Children in Pakistan 2024 report by the National Commission on the Rights of the Child (NCRC). The report reveals that over 26 million children aged between 05 to16 are out of school. One in two children under five suffers from malnutrition, and only 14.2% of children aged between 06 to 23 months receive a minimally adequate diet.

Child protection indicators paint an equally unpleasant picture; violent discipline is widespread, child marriage remains prevalent, and adolescents, particularly those aged between 16 and 17, face a heightened risk of sexual violence. Street children endure exploitation, abuse, and drug use, while child labour remains entrenched in sectors like agriculture, forestry, and fishing, particularly in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Pakistan ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in 1990, committing to protect and promote the rights of children. But more than three decades later, those promises remain only partially fulfilled. On 13th and 14th May 2025, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child will review Pakistan’s progress since its last assessment in 2016.

The Government of Pakistan has submitted its state report highlighting positive developments and implementation measures. The National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) and several civil society organizations have submitted alternative reports that offer a more critical........

© Courting The Law