Children are custodians of our future. They should be empowered to voice their opinions about the world they want to live in and it’s all of our responsibility to listen and support their visions.
Every year, on 20th November, World Children’s Day is celebrated by UNICEF around the globe. The day aims to raise awareness of children’s rights and encourage action to build a better future for every child.
The 2025 theme for World Children’s Day is ‘My Day, My Rights’ - including the right to be protected, to learn and to have their voice heard - emphasising the importance of listening to children to understand their daily lives and how their rights are upheld or denied. It also encourages children to fulfill their right to self-expression and understand their ideas and priorities for a better world.
Yet, every year when I reflect on this day, a question quietly stirs in my heart: Are we truly listening to our children? World Children’s Day arrives each year as a reminder of promises - to protect, to nurture and to listen. It recalls the haunting memory of little Zainab Ansari, whose right to live, to be loved and to fly was snatched away with brutal cruelty. That innocent angel now sleeps beneath the earth, a silent question mark against our collective conscience.
There are hundreds and thousands of unfortunate children like Zainab. We remember Farishta too, another child whose name became a cry for justice in Islamabad, where negligence and delay dimmed yet another young light. These children, whose laughter once echoed through narrow streets, remind us that rights are not gifts; they are guarantees. Their stories remind us that ‘My Day, My Rights’ is not just a theme - it is a plea for accountability, empathy and action.
When a drawing speaks louder than words
I met Zainab Fatima, a beautiful young artist who paints her dreams on paper. One of her drawings caught my attention. It shows delicate figures with wings sprouting from their backs, streaked lightly with red, yet each one rising upward. Some wings are open, some still unfolding - all of them trying to fly. Beneath the sketch, she wrote, “If I ever grow wings, it will be because life gave me no other way out. One day I am gonna grow wings.”
That line spoke of hope, not hurt - of a belief that no matter how heavy the world feels, a child’s spirit is made to rise. Zainab’s art reflects the resilience of children who dare to dream in colour, even when surrounded by grey. And Zainab’s wings whisper that even the smallest dream, when nurtured, can lift a generation higher.
Zainab reminded me of Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences, particularly his principle of Individualisation. Gardner reminds us that every child carries a unique brilliance, some express it through words, others through rhythm, movement or imagination. Zainab’s canvas became her voice, her way of telling the world, “I exist, I feel, I dream.”
The dream of a school without fear
Then there is Mohsin Mudasar, a nine-year-old boy who shared a vision of his dream school. In his words, it would be a place where teachers are friends, every student has access to computers and laptops, and classrooms are colourful and welcoming - celebrating individuality and creativity.
In his dream, exams would not burden children; instead, learning would be joyful, focused on curiosity and exploration. In this school, the number of games or competition for marks would not matter. What truly matters are skills, creativity and discovery. No teasing or bullying would be allowed, whether from students or teachers and everyone would treat each other with respect and love.
This dream reminds us that the future of education must prepare children not only for exams but for creativity, confidence and digital readiness - the skills that will shape the world of tomorrow.
Mohsin’s dream school is a place where the rights of children are not written only in policies but practiced in classrooms. It is a reminder that when children feel respected, they don’t rebel - they thrive.
His vision reflects the true essence of Article 29 of the UNCRC (UN Convention on the Rights of the Child) education should develop every child’s personality, talents and abilities to their fullest potential.
Learning without fear: Pakistan’s promise and the gaps
Pakistan has taken commendable steps toward protecting children’s dignity in learning spaces. The Sindh Prohibition of Corporal Punishment Act (2016) and the Islamabad Capital Territory Act (2021) outlaw physical punishment in schools and workplaces. The Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act (2020) extends protection even within homes.
However, Section 89 of the Pakistan Penal Code (1860) which permits “reasonable punishment in good faith” continues to blur the line between discipline and abuse.
As someone who has worked closely with teachers and communities, I have seen the scars this mind-set leaves not only on children’s bodies but on their confidence. Kindness is not a soft approach; it’s the strongest foundation of moral and intellectual growth.
Individualisation: The forgotten art of teaching
Howard Gardner’s Individualisation principle is perhaps the most relevant educational strategy for our time. It teaches that every child has a unique pattern of strengths linguistic, musical, spatial, logical, bodily, interpersonal, intrapersonal and naturalistic.
When teachers understand and apply this, education transforms from instruction to inspiration. Yet, in our education system, the concept of individualisation is almost absent. Our classrooms are filled with potential artists forced to memorise equation and budding engineers told to stop ‘daydreaming’.
Even in private schools, creativity is often sacrificed for standardisation. Teachers, despite their dedication, are not always trained to recognise or nurture individuality. Institutional structures rarely reward creativity or emotional intelligence.
It’s about time we reform teacher training systems. Every educator should learn to identify a child’s unique intelligence and build lessons around it, because recognising individuality is not optional - it’s mandatory in order to gauge child’s natural skills.
The unheard cries: Beyond the classroom
While we discuss education, we must not forget children who never reach the classroom doors. Across Pakistan, thousands are trapped in cycles of poverty, child labour, abuse and trafficking.
Every statistic represents a stolen childhood, a dream deferred. These children do not draw wings or dream of school; their real struggle is one of survival. The responsibility to protect them lies with us all - including policymakers, civil society and citizens alike.
We cannot claim to honour children’s rights while turning away from the street child cleaning windshields at a traffic light. Their rights are the same as those of any child sitting in a private school classroom.
The digital frontier: New dreams, new dangers
Today’s children live in a world of screens and connections. The internet has its merits and demerits; it offers learning opportunities but also opens doors to cyberbullying, exploitation and misinformation.
Ensuring children’s digital safety must become a national priority. Parents and teachers must be equipped to guide children responsibly through digital spaces, teaching them not only to click wisely but also to think critically. Technology, if used with empathy and education, can give every child wings that connect them to knowledge, collaboration and innovation.
Listening builds confidence, silence destroys it
Listening to children is not an act of charity; it’s an obligation. When children are heard, they gain confidence. When they’re trusted, they learn responsibility.
UNICEF’s statement on World Children’s Day captures this beautifully, “Child rights are human rights. They are non-negotiable and universal. Upholding children’s rights is the compass to a better world today, tomorrow, and into the future.”
By listening, we follow that compass. We show children that their thoughts matter and in doing so, we raise a generation that values empathy, respect and peace.
Time to put an end to corporal punishment
This day is not merely a celebration; it is a mirror held up to all of us - parents, teachers, leaders and citizens - asking one powerful question: Have we done enough to protect the wings of our children?
To truly honour this day, we must make a collective promise. We must bring an end to corporal punishment in every form - at home, in schools and in workplaces - where children’s innocence is too often bruised by cruelty disguised as discipline. We must train our teachers to recognise and nurture individuality, following Gardner’s principle of Individualisation, so that every child is seen and valued for their unique way of learning.
Our responsibility also lies in strengthening child protection systems, ensuring that every child, whether in the digital world or the physical one, is safe, supported and heard. Their voices must not be silenced or tokenised; they deserve to be part of the policies and decisions that shape their lives.
Most importantly, we must create learning spaces that are inclusive and joyful - classrooms filled not with fear, but with creativity, curiosity and compassion. Because when a child feels safe, they dream freely. And when they dream freely a nation moves forward.
Let’s pledge
This World Children’s Day, let’s promise our children that their dreams will no longer be confined to paper or imagination. Listening does more than show respect; it builds confidence, nurtures creativity and strengthens trust. When a child feels heard, they begin to believe their thoughts matter. They start to see themselves as capable contributors to the world. And that belief is the seed of every innovation, every act of kindness, every change this world needs.
So, when we talk about ‘My Day, My Rights’ we are not only celebrating children’s entitlement to safety, education and health; we are celebrating their right to be heard, to dream and to participate in shaping the world around them. When children’s voices are ignored, society loses its compass. But when we listen truly listen, we find direction again.
The writer has over 20 years of experience as a development professional. She writes on climate change, education and social issues. She can be reached at quratmudasargmail.com