In a groundbreaking milestone for the inaugural Sindh Children’s Parliament, Syeda Rida Batool Kazmi was sworn in as the Chief Minister after achieving a decisive victory with 40 votes.
Her opponent, Ashok Kumar, a ninth-grade student from GHS Mithi Tharparkar, secured 24 votes and was named opposition leader. Rida’s achievement marks a historic beginning, exemplifying the power of young leadership in action.
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The Thar Education Alliance, in collaboration with the Sindh Education & Literacy Department (SE&LD), Reform Support Unit (RSU), and UNICEF, introduced this initiative to empower children and advocate for their right to education across Sindh.
Children from 30 districts participated, with two representatives from each district and six from Sujawal. These young parliamentarians serve as the voices of their communities, striving to bring attention to issues affecting children in their regions.
Speaking to the media, the newly-elected Chief Minister, Syeda Rida Batool Kazmi, a 10th-grade student from GGHSS Tando Allahyar, expressed that the Children’s Parliament process inspired her to believe in the possibility of a woman becoming Chief Minister of Sindh. She emphasized her confidence in achieving meaningful change through structured advocacy and teamwork.
Zainab Khan, an eighth-grader from Sindh Education Foundation (SEF) PSP Badin, was elected Minister for Quality Education. She highlighted the disconnect between recognizing education as a fundamental right and the existing reality. Zainab pledged to bring out-of-school children back into classrooms, emphasizing that children best understand each other’s struggles.
Like these young leaders, other ministers and members of the Sindh Children’s Parliament took an oath to work towards reintegrating out-of-school children and ensuring equal educational opportunities for all.
Chairman of the Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC), Iqbal Ditho, assured that the commission is actively addressing children’s rights, including access to education, and regularly issues directives to the government to tackle these challenges.
Partab Shivani, CEO of the Thar Education Alliance, stated that the establishment of the Sindh Children’s Parliament, supported by UNICEF, the Education Department, and RSU, is a pioneering effort to re-enroll out-of-school children and create better learning opportunities for the youth in Sindh.
