Children and Women in Pakistan - A Situation Analysis,

UNICEF
UNICEF, 1998

Part 1: The Context, Part 2: The Present Predicament, Part 3: Special Protection Issues and an Analysis of Some Basic Causes, Part 4: Focusing on the District and Community Voice, Part 5: Action for the Future.

This document is a part of UNICEF's advocacy for the rights of women and children. The last such report for Pakistan was published in 1992. This report documents the current status of rights of women and children as manifested by key social indicators and accepts that these are a good measure of development of a nation. It endorses the viewpoint that women's and children's rights are a moral and ethical imperative based on universal standards. In part 1 (The Context) it presents the theoretical premise of the rights based approach, the indicators used, the sources of data and Pakistan's geographical and socio political context. Part 2 (The Present Predicament) summarizes the current situation of children and women's rights with reference to key social indictors. With extensive tables it captures the health and education status of children, and to some extent women and compares some of these with other South Asian countries. Using the mid decade goals of Pakistan as the evaluation point the report carries out a sectoral analysis of health and nutrition, education, water and sanitation. It further looks into the affectivity of Social Action Program (SAP) and other development initiatives. The third part (Special Protection Issues and an Analysis of Some Basic Causes) includes a chapter on women's legal, civil, political and economic rights. Part 4 (Focusing on the District and Community Voice) brings to light the need to take into account variation not only within the country but also within districts and communities. It further emphasizes the importance of desegregated data and expresses a need to involve people in assessing and analyzing their own situation. In the last part (Action for the Future) an overview of the major areas of concern is presented and it is recommended to involve the community as well as the private sector in collecting the information. Emphasis is laid on decentralization and accountability process.

Key indicators: Rights Based Approach, Development, Social Indicators, Mid Decade Goals, Health and Nutrition. Reproductive Health, Education, Water and Sanitation, Environment, Social Action Program (SAP)