1.5 M Street Children Need Legal Protections in Pakistan 

News Desk

Islamabad: The Ministry of Human Rights (MoHR) has called for urgent legal reforms to safeguard Pakistan’s 1.5 million street children, who are increasingly vulnerable to abuse and exploitation due to displacement, poverty, and violence.

 The ministry emphasized that focused attention and education are critical to addressing this growing crisis.

In a statement to a state-run news agency on Sunday, an official from the ministry highlighted that street children are among the world’s most neglected populations, often overlooked by governments, lawmakers and society.

The official noted that the number of street children is rapidly rising due to factors such as displacement, migration, extreme poverty, an increasing number of children fleeing homes, workplaces and schools due to violence.

According to estimates, there are currently 1.5 million street children in Pakistan. These children face significant risks once they end up on the streets, including child labor, exploitation, trafficking and arbitrary arrest.

The official stressed the need for urgent action, particularly in addressing the issue of school dropouts, as education is the key to making a lasting difference in the lives of these vulnerable children.