Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Islamabad (Fides Service) - One year after the floods that devastated the country between July and August 2010, the proportions of the disaster still require a lot of work. The involvement of children in child labor has increased by over 30%, as well as cases of child abuse and early marriage. Because of the dramatic emergency caused by the prolonged and devastating rains, children have been forced to work in hazardous places and because their parents do not have the possibility to earn enough to live on. According to the report, "Pakistan, a year after", carried out by the NGO Save the Children in 8 districts affected by floods, almost 1,200 cases of abuse have been recorded and an increase in early marriages even among children of 9-10 years of age", to "protect" young girls from the risk of being abused and therefore " dishonored ". The report also documents the strong weakening of the education system, 47% of parents were interviewed and said that there are no teachers in their children’s school, the collapse of household income, has decreased to 70% and the impossibility for more than 30 % of those interviewed to re-build their homes. Many of the 10 million children affected still struggle to survive: in some of the most stricken areas 23% of children are malnourished. Almost half of the parents interviewed said that their children have phobias, nightmares and other symptoms of distress and psychological trauma. In a district of Punjab 1 family out of 10 admits that their children have started to take hashish or glue to soften the emotional burden. The NGOs in Pakistan is helping 4 million people, including 1.8 million children, and taking care of 25 000 malnourished children. Food, shelter, health care, nutritional treatments, the creation of 200 "safe and secure play areas" for children, support to schools, work programs in exchange for money are among the main activities and interventions carried out so far. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 07/29/2011)
