Save the children

As per news reports, Pakistan recorded 3,630 cases of child abuse in 2025, with girls accounting for 52 per cent of the victims. These are only the reported cases. Many incidents remain unreported because families fear social stigma, damage to their reputation and pressure from their communities. Consequently, the actual number of child abuse cases is likely to be much higher than official statistics suggest. The UN has ranked Pakistan as one of the least safe countries in the world for children.

Several tragic incidents have shocked the nation. 5-year-old Alisha and her mother were gang raped in district kashmore. In another case, Fatima Phuriro, a 10-year-old domestic worker in Khairpur, was reportedly dead after being subjected to severe physical abuse. Eght-year-old Mantaha Zahra from Sargodha was reportedly abducted, sexually assaulted and murdered after leaving her home to buy something at grocery shop. Similarly, three-year-old Kulsoom Qasim was found dead outside her home in Quaidabad, and media reports stated that she had been sexually assaulted before being murdered. These are only a few of the many reported cases involving horrific crimes against underage girls, reminding us that countless children continue to live at risk.

National Assembly passed the Zainab Alert Bill on October 8, 2019, introducing stricter measures to combat offences against children. The law requires law enforcement agencies to respond promptly to reports of missing or abducted children, imposes penalties and seeks to ensure that cases involving children are concluded within a specified time. It also provides for severe punishments, including lengthy prison sentences, for those convicted of crimes against children. Effective implementation of this law, however, remains the real challenge.

Prevention must begin at home. Legislation alone cannot eliminate child abuse. The effective ways to protect children is to educate them about personal safety before they step outside their homes. Teaching children about personal boundaries and body safety is a responsibility of parent/guardian.

The concept of Good Touch, Bad Touch (GTBT) enables children to understand that their bodies belong to them and that they have the right to refuse any physical contact that makes them feel uncomfortable. It gives them the confidence to say “No” or “Stop”, leave an unsafe situation and immediately inform a parent. Such awareness can play a vital role in preventing exploitation against minor-aged-children.

A good touch makes a child feel safe, loved and cared for. A mother’s hug, a father’s affectionate kiss on the forehead, or a grandparent’s embrace are expressions of love and protection. Likewise, a teacher or elder gently patting a child’s shoulder or back in a public setting to appreciate good work is generally considered an appropriate and respectful gesture.

A bad touch, however, is any physical contact that makes a child feel frightened, uncomfortable or unsafe, particularly when it involves private parts of the body. Children should be taught that no one has the right to touch these parts except a parent or caregiver when providing necessary care or a healthcare professional during a medical examination in the presence of a trusted adult. They should also know that they must immediately report any inappropriate behaviour to their parents, teachers or elder members of family without fear or shame.

Children must be protected from all forms of violence, including street crime, sexual abuse, child labour and physical punishment in schools and madrasas, where they are sent to receive an education and develop into responsible members of society. Their physical, emotional and psychological well-being is necessary for healthy development. Children cannot protect themselves and depend entirely on their parents, guardians and the state to ensure their safety and safeguard their rights.

Parents must take responsibility for educating their children about personal safety. Open, honest and age-appropriate conversations at home are the first line of defence against child abuse. Encourage your children to speak up if they ever find themselves in such a situation, before it is too late.