Call for greater child-focused investments ahead of budget

ISLAMABAD (APP) - Speakers at a pre-budget experts’ roundtable on child-focused social sector investments urged policymakers to prioritise education, health and protection services for children in the upcoming federal and provincial budgets, warning that limited public spending and rising economic pressures could undermine Pakistan’s long-term human development.

The pre-budget consultation titled “Child-Focused Social Sector Investments: Learning from Provinces – Challenges, Opportunities, and Gaps,” was jointly organised by UNICEF in collaboration with the SDGs Secretariat, Parliamentary Caucus on Child Rights and the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI).

The event brought together parliamentarians, policy experts and development partners to review current budget trends and identify gaps in investments aimed at improving the wellbeing of children across provinces.

Opening the session, Convener SDGs Secretariat MNA Shaista Pervaiz Malik emphasised that budget decisions directly shape the future of nearly half of Pakistan’s population, which consists of children.

MNA Dr Nikhat Shakeel, Convener of the Parliamentary Caucus on Child Rights, highlighted the growing challenge of out-of-school children and stressed the importance of evidence-based policymaking.

Presenting a broader economic perspective, SDPI Executive Director Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri noted health and education together account for less than six percent of public spending, adding that the federal government alone cannot meet the needs of child health and education.

Speaking on behalf of UNICEF, Pernille Ironside said the discussion was about shaping Pakistan’s human capital rather than merely balancing financial figures. She noted that children make up around 40 percent of Pakistan’s population, yet millions still lack adequate access to healthcare, education and nutrition services.

During a presentation on Public Expenditure Reviews, policy analyst Sadaf Zulfiqar highlighted that Pakistan is one of the youngest countries in the region, with 40 percent of the population under 15 and 60 percent below the age of 30. She said around 26 million children remain out of school while nearly 40 percent suffer from stunted growth due to malnutrition.

MNA Shahida Rehmani, Chairperson of the Women Parliamentary Caucus, called for increased neonatal healthcare services, improved vaccination coverage in rural areas and dedicated budgets for maternal and child health facilities.

Parliamentary Secretary for Information and Broadcasting Barrister Daniyal Chaudhary emphasised the need to focus on teacher training rather than merely increasing funding for infrastructure.

From Balochistan, provincial legislator Dr Muhammad Nawaz citing a 44 percent literacy rate, high infant mortality and widespread malnutrition.

AJK Minister Nabeela Ayub Khan raised concerns about the issue of abandoned children and called for clearer legal frameworks regarding custody and adoption.

Meanwhile, KP Assembly member Asif Khan Mehsud highlighted challenges in the merged districts, saying years of conflict have damaged school infrastructure and limited development spending.

MNA Riaz Fatyana stressed that implementation gaps remain a major issue, pointing to environmental pollution, poverty and outdated curricula as factors affecting child development.

Similarly, MNA Dr Shazia Sobia Aslam Somroo emphasised the need to address nutrition, health awareness and parental engagement.

Concluding the discussion, Chairman National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance, Syed Naveed Qamar urged parliamentarians to take a proactive role in safeguarding social sector spending during the budget process.