Puppet Show Highlights Child Protection, Good Parenting, Mental Health At SIF Annual Event

Islamabad: Secours Islamique France (SIF) held its annual awareness event at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA), using an engaging puppet show to highlight the critical issues of child protection, safeguarding, positive parenting, and mental health.

The creative performance combined entertainment with powerful social messages, aiming to educate both children and parents on safety, emotional well-being, and responsible caregiving.

The event began with opening remarks by Mr. Altaf Abro, Head of Mission of SIF, who reflected on the organization’s 31 years of global humanitarian service and its work in Pakistan since 2010.

He shared that SIF’s orphan sponsorship programme, which started in Gaza over three decades ago, currently supports more than 10,000 orphan students by ensuring access to education and improving their socio-economic stability. He also highlighted SIF’s ongoing skills development initiatives designed to empower vulnerable communities.

Speaking on the challenges faced by children in Pakistan, Mr. Abro emphasized that education remains the country’s most pressing issue.

He pointed to troubling statistics, noting that nearly 26 million children are out of school and that malnutrition is on the rise. He added that approximately 1,000 children under the age of five die each year due to parental neglect and related issues, while child labour, child marriages, violence, and other child protection violations persist. In response to these challenges, he said, SIF has launched initiatives such as a school meal programme to support children’s health and learning.

A panel discussion, moderated by Mr. Habib Ahmad Laghari, brought together experts from law enforcement, international organizations, and civil society to explore child protection from multiple perspectives.

Ms. Nargis Raza, Deputy Director at the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), stressed that cases involving children are treated with utmost priority, confidentiality, and sensitivity.

She underlined that child protection is primarily the responsibility of the state, followed by parents, communities, and institutions. Highlighting the seriousness of the issue, she noted that globally, one in eight children experiences sexual abuse and warned parents that, in most cases, perpetrators are individuals known and trusted by the child.

Ms. Fauzia from Oxford University highlighted storytelling as a powerful tool for children’s learning and behavioral change, explaining that children absorb lessons more effectively through stories than through lectures. She also raised concerns that nearly 90 percent of child abuse cases go unreported and cautioned that harmful digital content and excessive exposure to social media negatively affect children’s mental health.

Ms. Misbah Shahbaz, Station House Officer (SHO) at Phulgran Police Station, Islamabad, urged parents not to portray the police as a source of fear, emphasizing that law enforcement agencies exist to protect children and support families.

Addressing the link between parenting and mental health, Ms. Munazza Ali, Child Protection and Gender Advisor at Save the Children, emphasized that a mother’s mental well-being plays a vital role in a child’s healthy development and called for greater awareness and psychosocial support services.

Mr. Imtiaz, Child Protection Expert at UNICEF, highlighted the importance of nurturing strong emotional bonds between parents and children, describing them as the foundation of a healthy and secure upbringing.

Meanwhile, Mr. Muhammad Hussain Ali, Child Protection Officer (Legal), pointed out that while Pakistan has comprehensive child protection laws, a lack of public awareness remains a major obstacle to their effective implementation.

The event concluded with a reaffirmed commitment by all stakeholders to promote child protection, education, mental health, and positive parenting, using innovative approaches such as puppet shows and storytelling to foster lasting social change.