Plight of the street children

Street children in Islamabad. Photo--AFP  

I am not sure how seriously we notice them while roaming on the streets of the federal capital Islamabad, these kids really deserved much care.

At this young age when they are supposed to carry school bags but the poverty has forced them holding large bags on their shoulders, collecting their daily “food” from the garbage for obvious reason. These scavenger kids can bee seen on various streets and every they pass a smile to the passerby, in fact, convey a lot. But the hectic life or some other reasons will never allow us to reciprocate with kind gesture. 

Out of school children

Despite tall claims of the government under the slogan “every child must go to school”, there are still 25 million out of school in Pakistan, according to ‘State of Pakistan’s Children Report’ by Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC) released on April 16, 2015. For detail click here
25 million children out of school in Pakistan  

Mohammed Ayub, a 57-year-old government worker, sits among students from poor families at a makeshift school set up in a park in Islamabad, Pakistan. Ayub has dedicated most of his life to teaching the less fortunate of this city. For three decades, children who might otherwise have gotten no education sat through his classes. Photo credit DW

Responsibility of the government

The basic responsibility comes on the shoulder of the government to protect rights of the children and ensure that every child must get education. But every time, their claims made in their parties manifestos, remain in the documents.  

Role of civil societies or NGOs

While there are dozens of NGOs receiving foreign funds on the name of kids’ rights but their work can only be seen in newspapers. As seen in the last 12 years of my journalistic experience, the NGOs’ bosses are much concerned for publication of their stories to attract donors instead of reaching out to these kids.

Health hazards

As they are directly exposed to garbage and trash, these children are suffering from various diseases. Since, we’ve totally neglected these children; therefore, there is no awareness and sense of responsibility at any level to establish treatment centers and health facilities especially for them. We need our faith-based and community partners to save them from various diseases.

Our responsibility

Government alone is not responsible for the sad story of these kids. We as member of the society also have a duty at least to extend a kind gesture to them if we cannot help them financially. 

Scavenger boys in Islamabad collecting recyclable items from garbage. Photo -AP  

We have often neglected these trash collecting children as Afghans. But, don’t we know that Afghans are also human being and they also need what people in other parts of the world need. 

They deserved to be treated very specially and it also becomes our responsibility to extend a helping hand in our capacity.