TP Report
PESHAWAR: Blue Veins, in collaboration with the Rise & Shine Girls Education Leadership Network and the Child Rights Movement (CRM) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has welcomed the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s launch of the Green Enrolment Campaign 2026, which aims to enrol 2.6 million children across the province. However, the networks have emphasized the urgent need for focused and measurable actions to ensure that girls benefit equitably from this initiative.
According to the 2023 Digital Census, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has approximately 4.9 million out-of-school children, including nearly 2.9 million girls, highlighting a significant gender disparity that requires targeted intervention.
Qamar Naseem, Program Manager, Blue Veins and Malala Fund Education Champion, stated:”The Green Enrolment Campaign is a timely and commendable initiative. However, without targeted strategies addressing barriers faced by girls, including poverty, distance to schools, lack of facilities, and social norms, we risk repeating the same gender gaps. Ensuring girls’ enrolment and retention must remain central to this campaign.”
Maham, Nafees, Rise & Shine Ambassador, added: “Girls across KP are ready to learn and lead. The government must ensure safe schools, female teachers, proper sanitation facilities, and community engagement so that every girl has an equal opportunity to access education.”
Imran Takkar, Child Rights Expert and Member of the Child Rights Movement, emphasized:
“Education is not charity; it is a constitutional right under Article 25-A and reinforced by the KP Free and Compulsory Primary and Secondary Education Act 2017. We urge the government to publicly share gender-disaggregated enrolment data and adopt specific measures to close the gender gap.”
The networks collectively call upon the Elementary & Secondary Education Department to implement gender-responsive strategies, allocate adequate resources for girls’ schools, and ensure transparent monitoring mechanisms during the campaign. They further urge the government to establish district-level accountability frameworks, mobilize local communities and parent-teacher councils, and prioritize marginalized districts where girls’ exclusion rates remain highest. Sustained political commitment and adequate budgetary allocations will be essential to achieving meaningful and lasting change.
