by Joseph Laldin

This is what Sobia John is asking for, a young activist involved in the defense of children. The government and civil society are responsible for the suffering of children. The succession of governments over the years, she claims, have promoted no initiatives aimed at children. Guarantee the rights of children to form "good citizens" of tomorrow.

Lahore (AsiaNews) - The children deprived of their rights can never become "good citizens"; to give life to a "thriving" society, it is essential "to ensure" the protection of children, because they "are not born to be a victim of abuse, forced labor and exploitation." This is what Sobia John tells AsiaNews; Sobia is a young Christian committed to the protection of children and child victims of violence. A native of Lahore, in Punjab, she collaborates with the organization Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC) in a series of programs and initiatives targeted at disadvantaged children. The most recent project in which she was involved was called "Violence against children", but in the past she has fought for the rights of minority women, exploited workers and the marginalized. "The political and economic problems," said the young Pakistani woman, "that the country is going through have a negative impact on the entire population, but children are the most affected."

Sobia John (pictured) has a master's degree in Communication Studies and has experience in the field of journalism, both that in print and online. But it is in protecting the rights of the young that she has spent much of her personal commitment and passion. "[The children] are forced to beg, are tortured, are abused and are victims of sexual violence, especially the girls," says the activist, but despite all this "they do not protest for their rights and do not commit violence against these injustices." For this reason, she adds, it is the "duty of adults to fight for the rights of children."

A few days ago, celebrations were held for the tenth edition of the day sponsored by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), against the exploitation of child labor; in 2012 the experts' attention was focused on the agricultural sector, where about 70% of workers in this sector are under 18. According to SPARC, in Pakistan it is common practice to use child labor in different sectors, "from employment in lighter tasks to the heaviest and most dangerous jobs"; recent estimates, add the activists, show that "between 11 and 12 million children, half of them under age 10, are exploited for work" across the country.

The company should invest in "child-friendly" initiatives, laws and programs, says Sobia John, who dreams of "a society free of violence" in which "every child has the right to enjoy their childhood." "I would like to change suffering", she adds, "into happiness, and the violations into dignity." The young activist doesn't refrain from criticizing the government "which lacks interest and initiatives" and civil society, whose answers are often "unsatisfactory". "Parliamentarians and the promoters of laws," she explains to AsiaNews "do not understand and do not consider the rights of a child a matter of primary importance." There are lacking policies and regulations which are in accord with the spirit of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Islamabad ratified in 1990 but has done nothing concretely to implement its directives.

First, Sobia John adds, it is important to ensure "the identity" of the child, plus "protection, food, shelter, education, health care and affection." One key factor is the shortage in the field of education: "Despite the fact that Pakistan is classified among the countries with a high percentage of illiteracy", she comments, "the various governments that have followed one after another over the years have done nothing to educate the masses and disseminate instruction on a large scale. " "The government," she concludes, "must invest in activities for children," to create a future "without guns and disorders [...] without hunger or fear."

 

 

• Pakistan Muslim child labor
• human rights islam development hilum