Highlighting the multiple threat facing Children — armed conflict, child labor, human trafficking — Pakistan Thursday called for strengthened international cooperation to protect them from these heinous violations.
“The international community must not only address the root causes of such violence but also ensure stronger enforcement of legal frameworks that criminalize all forms of child abuse and exploitation,” Ambassador Usman Iqbal Jadoon, deputy permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, told the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee, which deals with social, humanitarian and cultural issues.
Speaking in a debate on Children’s rights, he pointed out that in the Pact for the Future, which the world leaders adopted at UN Headquarters in New York last month, they made a collective commitment to safeguard protect children from varied threats.
“This requires collaborative efforts in strengthening child protection systems, creating safer online and offline spaces, and fostering a culture of peace and tolerance,” the Pakistani envoy said.
Underscoring the importance of children’s education, Ambassador Jadoon said the Pact also contains a commitment for universal access to quality education, especially in digital and remote learning platforms.
Pakistan, he said, had prioritized policies that focus on inclusive education, particularly for girls and marginalized children.
“In Pakistan, we have prioritized policies that focus on inclusive education, particularly for girls and marginalized children,” he said.
“However,” the Pakistani envoy said, “due to debt and liquidity distress, we are unable to invest sufficient resources to send every child to school.”
Ambassador Jadoon urged the international community to enable the developing countries to mobilize sufficient resources to invest in children’s education and to secure the future of the current generation of children.
Also, he said, children are among the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including rising temperatures, food insecurity, and displacement due to natural disasters.
Pakistan, he said, continues to face the brunt of climate-induced disasters and remain steadfast in advocating for greater global action to address climate change.
“Protecting the rights of children necessitates urgent climate action, greater investments in green technologies, and the promotion of climate-resilient communities,” the Pakistani envoy said.
“The international community must place children’s well-being at the center of climate adaptation and mitigation strategies and invest in developing climate resilient infrastructure for children.”
As regards the need for better health systems, he said that Pakistan had made strides in expanding immunization programs, combating malnutrition, and improving access to maternal and child healthcare.
In this regard, Ambassador Jadoon underscored the need for global cooperation and financial resources to address the systemic barriers that prevent millions of children the world over from receiving adequate healthcare. “It is our collective duty to safeguard their rights, empower them with opportunities, and build a world where every child can thrive with hope and dignity,” he added.
