Quake children pledge fight against discrimination

Each week, World Vision CFS activities are focusing on one article of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Full of enthusiasm, the children came from World Vision’s CFSs in Rien, Khait, Banda and Saraash to reach Khori CFS near the quake-ravaged town of Balakot in northwest Pakistan. More than nine months after the earthquake, many of their families are still living in temporary shelters in arduous conditions.

“My knee was fractured when the roof of our school collapsed (in the earthquake) and I still cannot walk without crutches”, said nine-year-old Zakia Bibi, a grade four student from Banda CFS.

Boys are served better food, are allowed to go to school, to go out and play and to get toys, but not the girls “I like physical games but I can’t play them due to my fractured knee, however I go to World Vision’s CFS every day and enjoy colouring in pictures and having fun”, she said.

The Khori CFS was decorated with sketches and messages written by children on non-discrimination. Children spoke on various topics asking the audience, especially the parents, to raise their hands in commitment to end discrimination against children.

“Neither we nor our parents had any idea about discrimination but we have learnt a lot in World Vision’s CFS about discrimination”, said Nazakat Hussain, a grade nine student from Banda CFS.

He said, “The girls and children with dark complexion or disabilities are mostly discriminated against. Parents love their sons more than their daughters. Boys are served better food, are allowed to go to school, to go out and play and to get toys, but not the girls”.

“Children with fair complexion are loved more than children with darker complexion and those with disabilities are ridiculed, which is not fair. We will have to convince our parents to end all sorts of discrimination”, he continued.

“The idea behind the joint activity is to raise awareness on child rights by involving communities”, said Nauman Shah, World Vision’s Child Protection Field Coordinator.

“The parents were specially invited to the programme to see their children’s activities in the CFS as a confidence building measure”, he added.

Shah continued, “We are collaborating with field level NGOs on awareness campaigns in various sectors like health, education and sanitation and at the end of every campaign a joint activity will be organised with effective involvement of parents and communities”.

Children with fair complexion are loved more than children with darker complexion and those with disabilities are ridiculed, which is not fair Oxfam organised various skits for the children conveying messages on cleanliness – including the use of soap, toothpaste, and toothbrush and towel. Wearing humorous costumes the children symbolised flies and lice, dirty teeth, ‘king of germs’ and ‘queen of cleanliness’, enthralling the audience.

“It was a good team effort by World Vision’s Community Mobilisers and the children’s performance showed that they have become more confident. They are very talented and should be given a chance to flourish”, said Rabia Syed, Oxfam’s Public Health Promotion Programme Officer.

The best performances were awarded Gift-in-Kind stationery packs from World Vision US, consisting of a note book, 10 pencils, 12 ballpoints, one eraser, and 24 colour pencils.

World Vision is currently running 17 CFSs in five Union Councils in the Mansehra district of North West Frontier Province, involving some 2,700 children.