In a significant step towards ensuring the protection and welfare of children in the province, Social Welfare Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in collaboration with UNICEF on Wednesday celebrated the World Children’s day with the street children here.
This event was truly special in the sense that it focused on the issues of street children and how their lives are affected by working and living on the streets in Peshawar city. It was an acknowledgement of their experiences and challenges while living and working on the streets. The Chief Guest on the occasion was Minister for Social Welfare, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Syed Qasim Ali Shah while Secretary Social Welfare Department KP, Syed Nazar Hussain Shah, Director Social Welfare Department (MDs), Obaid ur Rahman, Commissionaire Peshawar, Riaz Mehud, Deputy Commissionaire Peshawar Sarmad Saleem, M Radek CFO UNICEF, Wasam Program Manager, UNICEF and Sohail Ahmad child Protection Specialist UNICEF.
Department of Social Welfare, KPCPWC and UNICEF organized this event, which on the one side highlighted the importance of the global commitment to make this world a better place for every child, and, on the other side presented the true-face of hardships in which this huge number of children are earning their living from the streets in an age in which they should enjoy their childhood through education, cultural activities and making friends and friendships.
In his opening remarks, Secretary, Social Welfare, Department said hosting the event for street children was aimed to showcase their active participation in various project interventions, including life skills training, peer support networks, recreational and mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) activities.
Additionally, the were invited to share their experiences with the government and stake-holders so that their problems and challenges could be addressed by establishing clear policies, and reducing the risks of rights exploitation faced by them while working on the streets.
The event also presented a theatre highlighting the lived experiences of street children and what needs to be done to transform their lives.
The event also presented the art and creative work of the street children which they had developed during the project interventions managed by Social Welfare Department in support of UNICEF.
Speaking on the occasion, Sohail Ahmad, Child Protection Specialist from UNICEF said that a strategy should be calked out to provide all basic services to these children and their families and link them with child protection and social protection services for proper rehabilitation and psychosocial support.
In his remarks, Radek, CFO UNICEF also appreciated the efforts of social welfare department for organizing the event on the occasion of World Children’s Day and recommitting to the international obligations and children’s rights as given in the Child Rights Convention.
He also advocated to the government for reviewing its policy and strategy to the street children and all marginalized groups in the province and how to ensure they are mainstreamed in the society sooner than later. The Minister for Social Welfare in his closing remarks, expressed his concerns on the conditions in which these children are living and how its impacts their lives.
He said, this is not the true face of a civilized nation and a caring society. These children, often driven to the streets by poverty, family breakdown, or displacement, face numerous challenges and vulnerabilities on daily basis. He said many are engaged in hazardous activities such as begging, scrap collection, child labor, or selling goods on the streets, often to contribute to their family’s survival or sustain themselves.
He also said, “This event has made these children visible to all of us. They are the heart and soul of our communities, part of our today and our future.”
The streets are not aimed for them this way; and these should not be used any more for them this way. It is our shared responsibility to change this reality and mainstream every one of them in our families and our society, he remarked.
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