PESHAWAR – More than 7,600 child abuse cases in Pakistan were reported in 2024, revealing a disturbing trend of violence, exploitation and neglect, according to a new report.
The findings from the Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO) show that, on average, 21 children a day were subjected to sexual abuse, physical violence, abduction or forced labour over the past year.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province alone, 1,102 cases involving children were reported in 2024. These included 208 incidents of physical assault, 366 of sexual abuse, and 93 cases of abduction. There were also six reports of child trafficking, 426 of child labour and three cases of early marriage.
The report shows that despite the scale of the crisis, the rate of convictions remains low. Only in child labour cases did the justice system take meaningful action, with 267 offenders penalised. In the vast majority of abuse and assault cases, perpetrators remain free, with survivors often left without justice or support.
The SSDO figures on child abuse cases in Pakistan at the national level are just as grim. There were 2,954 reports of child sexual abuse, 2,437 abductions, 683 physical assaults, 586 instances of trafficking, 895 child labour cases and 53 early marriages. Activists say these numbers likely represent only a fraction of the true scale, as many families fear social stigma or lack faith in the legal process.
Campaigners argue that current laws are insufficient and enforcement is inconsistent. “These are not isolated cases—they reflect a wider pattern of impunity and silence,” an SSDO spokesperson said. “Until we invest in child protection systems and shift social attitudes, the numbers will keep rising.”
The report urges both provincial and federal governments to improve monitoring, fast-track prosecution of abuse cases, and expand awareness initiatives. As the number of child abuse cases in Pakistan grows, rights groups say the country’s response remains painfully slow—and children continue to pay the price.
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