By Hajra Khan, Research InternOn World Children’s Day 2020, we are committed to a future where the #VoicesofYouth are amplified and understood. In the spirit of representation, Cities for Children conducted a “mythbuster” campaign to tackle some of the misperceptions that exist regarding street-connected children in Pakistan. Our hope is to help build a future …
Originally published in Dawn newspaper on 4 November 2020.by Madeeha AnsariA NEPALESE colleague once shared the impact of a well-intentioned government rehabilitation programme for street-connected children. The plan was to take them off the streets and provide protection facilities where basic needs would be addressed — and local NGOs like his were approached for support.What …
The following research piece entitled Cities for Children: A Case Study of Refugees in Towns - Islamabad, Pakistan, was first published by the Refugees in Towns project of the Feinstein Centre, Tufts University, September 2019. It is a unique reflective case study drawing upon personal and professional experiences, exploring the lived reality and education-based challenges of …
by Zoha Jillani, CfC VolunteerA core aspect of Cities for Children's mission to protect the "Right to a Childhood", is the Right to Play. The role of play in a child’s life is essential for early learning, understanding and brain development. It is also closely linked to positive mental health. In order to open up a …
This article was first Published in Dawn on July 3rd 2020, Pakistan's oldest English newspaper.by Madeeha Ansari, FounderCHILDHOOD is a precious, fleeting experience. As we navigate our way through the most extraordinary time in living memory, one of the most important things we can do is to remember how this time will define the earliest memories …
During the COVID-19 pandemic, families and children in urban poverty were disproportionately affected. Their lives and livelihoods were hugely impacted by lockdown conditions, particularly those depending on daily wages for survival. In places like Pakistan, there was a surge of generosity and goodwill, with many people stepping up to deliver relief in terms of rations …
A personal reflection on International Street Children Day in the context of the COVID-19 crisis, by CfC Founder Madeeha Ansari.Karachi,Pakistan, March 20, 2020. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan)Today was the International Day for Street Children. It passed, unmarked, barely ruffling the stillness of these days of quarantine. In this, the strangest time in living memory, it …
Published by the policy think tank Jinnah Institute on April 12 2019 - International Day for Street ChildrenApril 12 is a day for the invisible. As the International Day for Street Children, it is a time to extend recognition to young people who are too often uncounted, unseen and unheard – and therefore bereft of …
by Malaika Kirkwood, Communications VolunteerBuilding Cities for ChildrenThis year we celebrate 3 decades of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Ratified in 1989, the UNCRC was a milestone in human history and development-- establishing the first internationally recognized, legally binding statement on child rights. Now, thirty years after its inception, the …
by Julia Everett, Development InternAugust 7th 2019 marks national Play Day in the UK. This year’s theme, ‘Play Builds Children’, highlight the benefits of play for children's development. Protecting and promoting the right to play, given its importance in childhood and growth, is something which we at Cities for Children put at the centre of …