Child Protection
Every child is entitled to live a safe life; must be free from exploitation, violence, abuse and neglect.
FRHD has always been an involved and vocal activist for child protection. FRHD works with teachers and communities to promote constructive social norms and behaviours to help prevent abuse, neglect, exploitation, and violence against children and build a child-friendly environment in the community.
Advocacy for the implementation of child protection related legislation and child protection systems at the community level is an overarching component of the program. FRHD actively lobbies with government institutions to provide children with a safe and secure environment, both in their house and outside.
Community Mobilization for Discouraging Child Labour
About 3.3 million children in Pakistan are involved in child labour. Children involved in these activities are deprived of education, which is their constitutional right, but a lot of underprivileged families prefer to send their children to work to improve their economic wellbeing. However, this not only contributes towards child labour but also deprives children of the opportunity to gain an education and change their futures. For the nation to succeed, each child should be given fair and equal opportunities to learn and go to school.
Through community mobilization, FRHD provides counselling sessions to the parents of the communities where child labour is most prevalent, so that they make education a priority within their families. With our flexible and informal teaching programs, children from all segments of society can get a decent education and become productive members of the community.
Protection against Corporal punishment
FRHD works to change social norms and behaviours concerning corporal punishment of children by providing parents, caregivers and teachers awareness and skills to use fear and punishment-free, positive discipline techniques for growing a well-mannered and confident child with a groomed personality without self-esteem issues.
Children in Conflict with the Law
Children have come into conflict with the law due to insecurity of childhood, lack of education for character formation, ignorance of parents and the failure of society to preserve them. These children are not able to distinguish between right and wrong because of which they begin to do unlawful acts which land them in jail. It has been seen that more child crime incidences occur in the lower strata of society because of illiteracy and socio-economic issues. They are unable to fulfil their basic needs and desires due to which they resort to criminal means of gratification.
FRHD believes that, in Pakistan, besides other sections of the society, juvenile offenders living in detention centres are the most vulnerable population who are physically and emotionally deprived due to their incarceration. Hence, we hold vocational training workshops and counselling sessions in juvenile jails to help these children cope with their stressors, anger and regret. We provide psychosocial support and motivational training sessions so they can become productive citizens upon their release and contribute positively to society without reverting to their old delinquent ways.
