Life Tips by Mehreen: Safeguarding the Rights of Children

Children are the color in life and these beautiful flowers would blossom if carefully supervised. Their age of adolescence is critical as it helps to define their character and attitude. In the early years toddlers have the tendency to test, experiment and try. If guided properly the chances are that the society receives a useful member.

A child requires a particular amount of attention and protection. Every child, regardless of their age, race, gender, wealth, or birthplace, deserves not just to live, but to thrive. Yet millions of children are denied their basic rights and their childhoods stolen from them due to abuse, exploitation, and/or slavery.

[bs-quote quote=”International agreements on child rights say that all children should grow up in the spirit of peace, dignity, tolerance, freedom, equality, and solidarity.” style=”style-17″ align=”center” color=”#dd0000″ author_name=”UNICEF”][/bs-quote]

As parents, it is our utmost duty to provide all children, but especially our own, with the basic necessities required for a child’s physical development in life that include:

• food,
• clothes,
• shelter,
• education,
• protection.

One just cannot deprive a child of food. You can skip your own meal but must always thrive to get something for the child to eat. Similarly, clothes and a place to live are also their fundamental requirements that need to be fulfilled as per one’s social status and financial standing.

Giving education to your child is necessary, but under certain circumstances it becomes difficult for some parents to cater to such needs so it is mostly over looked in third world countries. However, the governments and NGOs should play an active part and make quality education easily available for middle and lower classes also. Simultaneously, the government schools should be able to provide a good standard of education to common class children so that they are able to compete with others in practical life and do not lag behind or fall victim to a multitude of complexes.

Providing technical knowledge to kids of working class at a younger age will help them learn skills in life, which in turn will enable them to take off some of their parents’ burden as they would be able to take their kids off the streets away from beggary nor will they have to sell them off to slavery or resort to early marriages.

REMEMBER: Kids who get proper education can learn a lot, become sensible and independent in life, on the basis of their own capabilities.

Above mentioned are the needs which are required by a child for physical growth, but what his soul and mind requires truly, is his parents’ love, care, time and attention. These are necessary for his spiritual development. One cannot deny loving a child, an angel-like-soul sent in this world worth showering your love and attention upon.

How can you not hug a baby and just leave him unnoticed?

Kids are so irresistible, no matter what color, caste or status they are, I fall in love with them as soon as I lay my eyes upon them.

Appropriate attention and love from Parents [and other loved ones] can nurture a child in a way no other being can do or has ever done. So, give them your love and raise them in a way that they become loving and tender souls, spreading the same warmth along their paths.

[bs-quote quote=”What you give and feed in them is what you get and create in them. So, better to create humans with compassionate spirits.” style=”style-17″ align=”center” color=”#dd0000″ author_name=”Mehreen Saqib” author_job=”Blogger & Influencer”][/bs-quote]

Be protective towards them, give them physical, mental and social defense against all odds. The more they feel secure, the more they will nurture and bloom. Children are very fragile, even a little harshness with them can tend to break their personality. We need to make them feel appreciated, respected and loved altogether.

Image taken from Buzzle.com

REMEMBER: Even Oscar Wilde, renowned poet and a playwright, also stated that if we want to make them [children] better humans, we should make them happy by providing them their essential needs.

Parents should never ignore or brush off their children, because it starts building emptiness in their personalities. This feeling leads to souls deprived of people’s attention so they tend to get into bad habits and have all the chances to fall prey into bad hands. The need of the hour is to not let your little one dwell in the places where social evils can have the chance to feed on them. We should try and manage to fulfill their responsibilities ourselves as much as possible.

I would like to argue that the age group of children who need your special protection start from a new born up to teenage years. This is the time when they all require defense against psycho-social evils. It doesn’t mean that older kids don’t require your attention, because they too need to be chaperoned and defended against social evils, however, they also need to be trusted with certain liberties and independence so, that they are able to carry on their responsibilities without undue pressure and/or oppression.

I would also like to suggest that the parents should pick and drop their kids to school or other public venues themselves and not to send them off on their own [in the absence of parents] with drivers, maids and/or other domestic helpers to ensure better safety and security. These days so many cases are being heard/read about where small kids, boys and girls, are falling victim to a maid’s harassment either sexual, physical or mental. Most of them scold and/or hit your child in your absence and then threaten them to not tell upon them.

Remember: Kids are so soft and delicate that they come under the pressure and start feeling suppressed by them which in turn starts destroying their self and their personalities.

Do watch my YouTube Vlog on my channel Mehreen’s Corner, in which I have mentioned some precautionary measures, we as parents should take and be vigilant for our kids and for other children too.

Similarly, drivers and male servants are not to be completely relied upon. So many instances are evident where not only a female child but a male has also become victimized sexually and physically. Parents need to be equally vigilant for their children, either a boy or a girl. Infants, toddlers and teenagers are at a risk of being exploited by perverts all around. So I can’t stress enough upon keeping an eye open for your kids and don’t let your household staff be alone with them, don’t provide them with such an opportunity that they start thinking negatively about a child.

The story of Zainab Ansari, a six-year-old Pakistani girl who was on her way to a Quran recital when she was abducted, still gives me goosebumps, as a woman and especially more so as a parent. She was found, five days later, raped and murdered, which incited protests and outrage in Kasur, Pakistan. Being a mom myself I feel so perturbed and can’t get over this tragic incident. It is always better if we take precaution ourselves and don’t let predators prey on our little kids.

Similarly, few days back a four year old baby girl Jannat from Mansehra was abducted by a group of unidentified men and thrown into an 80 feet well. How can one imagine such a brutal thing being done to a child?

I am unable to comprehend how barbaric a person can become, not leaving an innocent child, an angel, and bringing her to such a fate that she loses her innocence and her life?

You can go through the full story on BaaghiTV: Another Innocent Soul Falls Victim of Rape

Another significant tool, in my opinion is to equip your child by teaching him/her about their private parts and not letting anybody touch them inappropriately. Teach them that they should report it to their parents or nearby adults such as teachers as soon as possible. You should create a close bond with your child so that he/she doesn’t feel hesitant in sharing such an issue with you. Be open to them and support them rather then bullying them or making them feel like a culprit.

[bs-quote quote=”How can a small child entice a person? Only a pervert could be turned on by an innocent child and so we should be up against that person rather than making our kids feel guilty.” style=”style-17″ align=”center” color=”#dd0000″ author_name=”Mehreen Saqib ” author_job=”Blogger & Influencer”][/bs-quote]

Image taken from ChildInsider.com

Kids should be warned to not to get too close to strangers and no caressing should be allowed by anyone, also stay aware of distant relatives too. A parent should not rely on or leave a child to a relative alone, better be careful yourself rather than giving them a chance to think. We hear so many cases of relatives misusing and exploiting little kids when found in their company alone.

[bs-quote quote=”It is always better to take care of your possessions beforehand, and your children being your responsibility and obligation should not be neglected and left for others to prey upon.” style=”style-17″ align=”center” color=”#dd0000″ author_name=”Mehreen Saqib ” author_job=”Blogger & Influencer”][/bs-quote]

I would urge the Government of Pakistan to take notice of such incidences, culprits and rapists and to punish and execute them, so that they can become an example for others, and perverts should think twice before committing such a crime.

REMEMBER: Kids’ areas, schools, parks, hospitals and residences should be made safe for all to roam about.

However, such a felony can never leave the society, what we all can do is look out for our own selves, be cautious and give less chance to others to commit such offensive acts. Law and judiciary should play their part in giving death sentences to rapists, and punishments to those who carry out abuses on children for mere pleasure. Even providing psychological and medical aid to such sick people, though not much, but in some cases would help in minimizing such illegal acts.

Last but not the least I would urge, that the victims who are being raped or abused should not become a topic for gossip or looked down upon. They are the ones who need the most help and require support of their close ones to carry on in their lives further, they should not be targeted or despised.

[bs-quote quote=”Victims should not be pushed to pending court hearings and their decisions should be made soon so that justice is brought quickly.” style=”style-17″ align=”center” color=”#dd0000″ author_name=”Mehreen Saqib ” author_job=”Blogger & Influencer”][/bs-quote]

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