Call to protect girl schools

Islamabad Civil society networks and rights activists have demanded the state institutions to take urgent action to protect girls’ schools everywhere and establish and operationalise the National Commission on Child Rights (NCCR) and its provincial counterparts.

In a statement issued on Sunday, civil society networks and rights activists termed recent attacks on girl’s schools in Gilgit and Diamir district ‘yet another targeted atrocity against girls by extremists and terrorists.’

“We were still reeling from the horrific story of Kainaat (7) -- raped, brutally tortured and killed by her male relatives at her home in Karachi. Now we get the shocking news of 13 girls' schools being targeted, blasted and burnt down in Diamir district, Gilgit-Baltistan,” says that press statement that strongly condemns the attacks.

The statement questions the efficiency and performance of law enforcement agencies (LEAs). “Whether it is sexual violence, or hatred of educating girls, or the huge scale of the sale, trafficking and prostitution of young girls -- there is still an open season against girl all across Pakistan. Where are the police and LEAs? Where is the rule of law? Where are the upholders of Constitutional guarantees of the life, liberty, security, and dignity of all citizens, which includes the 48 per cent female population of Pakistan? Where is Article 25-A of Right to Education (RTE) for all Pakistani children, both boys and girls?”

The statement urged all political parties to work above the party politics and jointly take strong action to address the situation. “These atrocities go beyond party politics. We are saddened and outraged, and we urgently call upon all political parties: to demonstrate their political will and commitment; to rise above their political differences and urgently work together to jointly address such rampant targeted gender-based violence and misogyny,” says the statement.