According to an NGO working for the protection of children's rights, 2960 cases of child sexual abuse were reported in Pakistan during 2020.
According to figures provided by the NGO Sahil, 1,510 girls and 1,450 boys were sexually abused in the past year, with 119 cases of underage marriages and 7 cases involving girls, 50 boys and girls. Children were sexually abused in madrassas, as well as in hospitals, hotels, cars, clinics, colleges, factories, prisons, police stations, wedding halls, cemeteries and many other places.
During 2020, the highest number of incidents of sexual violence against children was reported in Punjab province with a total of 1707, 861 in Sindh, 53 in Balochistan, 102 in the federal capital Islamabad, 215 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 18 in Azad Kashmir and 18 in Gilgit-Baltistan. 4 incidents of abuse were reported. During 2020, 82 children were sexually abused in Lahore.
Sahil coordinator Ansar Sajjad says these incidents show that an average of eight children were sexually assaulted daily in 2020. He suggested that Child Safety Cells should be set up in every district of Punjab for prevention of violence against children and free colony support, awareness campaign for protection of children from sexual violence should be run under effective strategy and new laws on children should be enacted. Make and further improve the enacted laws. Regarding children's rights, work advocate Adnan Khan said that effective support systems should be set up for the rehabilitation of children affected by sexual violence and messages based on child protection should be made a regular part of children's curriculum.
On the other hand, the Chairperson of the Child Protection Bureau, Sarah Ahmed, while expressing concern over the incidents of sexual violence against children, said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is taking concrete steps to curb sexual violence against children. There is a need to create awareness in the society about the causes of sexual abuse of children and measures to prevent it, he said, adding that more stringent laws are being enacted for perpetrators of sexual abuse of children and women. The ordinance, directed by Prime Minister Imran Khan, contains the harshest punishments.
Sarah Ahmed said that earlier Zainab Alert Act is also an important step of our government in this direction. Sarah Ahmed lamented that our society creates problems for the affected children and families instead of making it easier. Parents, teachers, media and civil society must work together to end social evils, he said, adding that it is important to be aware of the strict laws as well as the awareness of all, including children, parents and teachers. Awareness material on prevention of sexual abuse of children should be included in the curriculum.
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