From January 2021 to December 2024, at least 421 cases were reported, according to the Centre for Social Justice. Of these, 282 victims were Hindu girls, 137 were Christians, and two were Sikhs.

Children from religious minority communities in Pakistan face deeply entrenched discrimination, abuse, and marginalisation, according to a report released by the UNICEF in Pakistan and the country’s National Commission on the Rights of Child (NCRC).

The report, titled “Situation Analysis of Children from Minority Religions in Pakistan”, funded by UNICEF and published on 1 August, paints a stark picture of the challenges faced by minority children in a country where non-Muslims make up just 3.72 per cent of the population.

Between April 2023 and December 2024, the NCRC documented 27 complaints relating to serious violations against minority children, including abductions, murders, forced religious conversions, and underage marriages. The data, drawn from official sources and verified complaints, points to a pervasive climate of exclusion and neglect.

“Children from religious minorities suffer multi-layered discrimination. They face exclusion based on religion, poverty, age, caste, and gender,” said Nabila Feroz Bhatti, a Catholic and a member of the NCRC’s Working Group. “This analysis highlights the intersectionality of these vulnerabilities and calls for urgent action.”

Terming forced religious conversion and forced marriage of Christian and Hindu minor girls to older Muslim men as the most concerning issue, the report notes that there are few legal options available to the victims.

“Such practices persist despite existing legal protections because of institutional biases, public pressure, and the poor role of law enforcement agencies,” it said.

According to the report, between April 2023 and Dec. 2024, the NCRC received 27 complaints related to the oppression of minority children, including cases of abduction, murder, forced conversion, and underage marriages.

Alarming Trends in Punjab

Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province, recorded the highest number of reported violent incidents against minority children. Police data cited in the report reveal that from January 2022 to September 2024, a staggering 40 per cent of such cases originated in the province. Victims included 547 Christians, 32 Hindus, two Ahmadis, two Sikhs, and 99 children from other religious groups.

Among the most disturbing findings is the scale of forced conversions, particularly targeting girls from Hindu and Christian backgrounds. From January 2021 to December 2024, at least 421 cases were reported, according to the Centre for Social Justice. Of these, 282 victims were Hindu girls, 137 were Christians, and two were Sikhs.

The report notes that forced conversions often coincide with child marriage and sexual violence, with legal recourse either unavailable or obstructed by systemic bias. Victims and their families frequently face threats, coercion, or a lack of cooperation from authorities.

Child Labour and Education Deprivation

Child labour emerged as the most prevalent form of exploitation, driven by poverty and limited access to education. According to the Institute of Development and Economic Alternatives, minority children are 1.6 times more likely to drop out of school than their peers from majority communities.

Many minority children work in hazardous or exploitative environments, often to support families trapped in poverty. This cycle of deprivation, the report argues, is fuelled by social marginalisation and institutional neglect.

“Inclusive education policies must be prioritised,” the NCRC report states. “Religious minority children must be guaranteed safe, equitable, and stigma-free access to schooling.”

Caste-Based Exclusion: A Missing Piece?

While the NCRC report addresses religion and gender-based inequalities, experts have criticised it for glossing over the role of caste in shaping discriminatory practices.

“The report mentions caste and gender intersectionality but doesn’t explain how caste shapes daily discrimination,” said Mary James Gill, a Christian politician and founder of the Centre for Law and Justice. “For Dalits and Christians, caste marginalisation is the first layer of exclusion – even before religion.”

Gill noted that children of sanitation workers, who often come from lower-caste Christian or Hindu backgrounds, face routine stigmatisation. These children are frequently shunned by classmates, teachers, and communities because of their parents’ occupations.

A joint study released by Amnesty International and the Centre for Law and Justice on 30 July supports these claims. Based on focus group discussions with 231 sanitation workers across six districts, the study found that many of their children experienced discriminatory behaviour in schools.

“One participant from Lahore shared how a classmate used the derogatory term chuhra to refer to her daughter,” the study stated. The term is a pejorative slur used in many parts of Pakistan to demean non-Muslim sanitation workers and their families.

Calls for Policy Reform

In response to the findings, the NCRC has urged the Pakistani government to implement wide-ranging reforms. Recommendations include:

• Strengthening legal protections for minority children;
• Expanding social safety nets for vulnerable families;
• Enforcing laws against child labour and underage marriage;
• Developing inclusive and non-discriminatory education policies;
• Creating specific legal frameworks to address forced conversions.

However, activists argue that these recommendations will be ineffective without addressing caste dynamics and ingrained societal biases.

“The state must confront the full spectrum of discrimination – not just in legal terms but in cultural and institutional contexts,” Gill said. “Without that, minority children will continue to fall through the cracks.”

As Pakistan grapples with its human rights obligations, the NCRC’s report offers a sobering reminder of the country’s unfinished business in protecting its most vulnerable citizens –  children born into communities that face systemic neglect, and often, silent suffering.