Pakistan’s Ministry of Human Rights recently launched the “Awaz” mobile application to report missing children and human rights violations across the country. The initiative aims to ensure a “quick and coordinated response” from authorities to tackle these issues effectively.
In recent years, the abduction and subsequent sexual abuse of children have been significant concerns in Pakistan. According to a report by the Pakistani NGO “Sahil,” there were 1,833 reported cases of child abduction in 2023, with 105 (6 percent) involving sexual abuse after abduction.
Human rights violations in Pakistan also include restrictions on freedom of speech, extrajudicial killings, and torture, often targeting marginalized communities, activists, and journalists. In 2020, Pakistan’s parliament passed the Zainab Alert, Recovery, and Response Bill to ensure the speedy recovery of abducted children and mandate that all cases of kidnapping, rape, and murder of minors be investigated within three months.
“We are proud to introduce the Awaz app, which marks a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to human rights,” said Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, as quoted by the Ministry of Human Rights on Sunday. “It underscores our dedication to leveraging technology to ensure swift and effective action on every report and to uphold justice with unwavering resolve.”
The ministry explained that the app allows users to report human rights violations, including missing or abducted children, ensuring a “quick and coordinated response” from authorities and community organizations.
The Awaz app is currently available for download on the Android operating system, with an iOS version to be released “soon,” according to the ministry.
