ISLAMABAD: A disturbing report released by the Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO) has revealed that a total of 7,608 cases of violence and sexual abuse against children were officially reported across Pakistan in 2024.
The figures paint a grim picture of the state of child protection in the country, showing that an average of 21 children faced some form of violence every day during the year.
The SSDO report, based on information obtained through the Right to Information Act, provides a detailed overview of these cases.
According to the findings, 2,954 cases of sexual abuse, 2,437 cases of kidnapping, 683 cases of physical violence and 586 cases of child trafficking were registered. Additionally, 895 cases of child labor and 53 cases of child marriage were registered throughout the year.
Despite the volume of cases, the conviction rate in almost all categories remained shockingly low, at less than 1 percent. In fact, not a single conviction was recorded in child marriage cases.
SSDO Executive Director, Kausar Abbas, stressed that the figures only included officially reported cases and did not reflect the many incidents that went unreported.
The report added that while some modest improvements had been seen in reducing incidents of child labor and trafficking, the overall situation remained deeply disturbing.
The organization’s spokesperson expressed concern over the systemic failure to hold perpetrators accountable, adding that the lack of convictions not only emboldened abusers but also undermined public confidence in the justice system.
