SPARC – Launching of 2007 Report: The State of Pakistan’s Children
Remarks by the Ambassador of Norway, 23 July 2008
We are here today to talk about a partnership and about an important book stemming from that partnership. But more importantly we are here to talk about children, the children of Pakistan.
There are so many stock expressions of how important children are in this world – I am going to go to one of the really respected sources – the UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1959.
As Principle no. 2 it establishes that
The child shall enjoy special protection, and shall be given opportunities and facilities, by law and by other means, to enable him to develop physically, mentally, morally, spiritually and socially in a healthy and normal manner and in conditions of freedom and dignity.
I think one paradoxical problem with fighting for the rights and protection of children is that nobody is against these principles. Everybody wants to protect children and realises that children are the future of any country, so there is no way to thrash out the disagreement in serious discussion. Yet, although we all agree, often nothing happens and little is done.
At least 40% of the population of Pakistan are children under 15. They will run the country before long, and the future prosperity and well-being of Pakistan depends on how well they do it. It makes obvious sense to invest in your children in order to secure the future. Whether it is in health care, in nutrition or in education, a country demonstrates its faith and its good will through the priority it accords to its children.
You asked me to speak about children and children’s rights in Norway. Let me just say that also in Norway children’s rights are based on the same internationally agreed convention as they are here. However, In the real world, the social, economic and political situatiion of a country is also reflected in its ability to take care of its weakest members – the children. The differences between Norway and Pakistan are considerable and what unites us is that nothing will change unless we can mobilise sufficient political will to protect our children
The situation for Pakistan’s children today, as can be clearly read in the report we are about to unveil today, calls for concern. This is not because the people and the authorities of Pakistan are against the basic rights of children, but because they need more resolve, more resources and the ability to change the situation.
Norway as an international partner for Pakistan, SPARC as a national advocacy group and other good forces active in this country wish to help Pakistan achieve its goals of protecting children. We hope we will succeed, and I wish SPARC may make progress towards that same goal. I hope that this annual report may contribute to alerting Pakistani society and Pakistani decision makers about the situation and about what needs to be done to set things right.