"The Unchosen Life: A Call for Change in a Broken Society."
"The Unchosen Life: A Call for Change in a Broken Society."
 |
| Sindhi Maruara |
In our society, the majority of people are merely living , some as beggars and a few as choosers.
In my opinion, God created this universe, and in it, every individual is a beggar made by God. There is no chooser except God. God has taught us to beg, not to choose. He repeatedly says, "Beg from Me, and I will give you whatever you want." A so-called Momin begs for a palace in Jannah (with 70 Medians), while A thief begs God to save him and his stolen wealth. A mother begs God for a son. Parents, and sometimes even the entire family, beg for a son and choose a son over a daughter due to ignorance and lack of awareness.
Most of the men in society, particularly those who prioritize sex over emotions, made their wives responsible for bearing daughters instead of sons. These men are unaware that, genetically, it is the father who determines the child’s gender. The father provides either an X or Y chromosome, while the mother contributes only X chromosomes. Yet, men who desire a heir (so called a son heir) abuse and torture their wives for giving birth to daughters only . But they don't know that their wives beg God for sons, but as I already said, we are beggars, not choosers. How, then, do these men think they can choose a son over a daughter?
If we observe our surroundings, we see children who are suffering from severe anemia, playing barefoot on the streets. They lack safe drinking water and proper nutrition. Leading to malnutrition , irritability, stunted growth, and mental retardation. On top of these struggles, we impose further hardships on them by depriving them of education, healthcare, and basic necessities, common in rural areas.
Most of us provide our family with distilled water, refusing to drink unsafe water. Yet, in places like Badin, Tharparkar, Chachro, including Karachi , Hyderabad and across Balochistan, people are forced to drink toxic water.
| Image Caption: Pakistan water crisis: statistics meet reality. Image Source: National Nutritional Survey 2018 by Unicef |
The severity of the water crisis is starkly illustrated in the following image. As shown, drinking water from 82.7% of households in Pakistan is contaminated with coliforms, with a slightly higher rate in urban areas (84.8%) than in rural areas (81.4%). The highest prevalence of coliform contamination is in ICT (92%) and the lowest in GB (12%). About 31.3% of households in Pakistan drink water contaminated with E. Coli, with a slightly higher rate in rural areas (33.2%) than urban areas (28.3%). The highest prevalence of E. Coli contamination is in KP-NMD (78.3%) and the lowest in Punjab (30.4%).This contaminated water contributes to a range of health problems, particularly for children. The presence of coliforms and E. coli increases the risk of diarrheal diseases, malnutrition, and other illnesses. These children, like the ones depicted in the image, are especially vulnerable. The people drinking contaminated water are at an increased risk of anemia due to the impact of contaminated water on their ability to absorb iron and other nutrients.
We cannot ignore the plight of these children, who are being harmed by a preventable problem.
| Image Caption: Anemia among Adolescent girls. Image Source: National Nutritional Survey 2018 by Unicef. |
Adding to the urgency of the situation, the National Nutrition Survey 2018 reveals alarming rates of anemia among adolescent girls. As depicted in the accompanying chart, more than half (54.7%) of adolescent girls in Pakistan are anemic, with rural areas showing a higher prevalence (56.0%) compared to urban areas (52.5%).Furthermore, the survey indicates widespread micronutrient deficiencies across the population. Anemia is common in non-pregnant women of reproductive age (43.0%) and among children aged 6-59 months (over 53.7%). Overall, 49.1% of children are iron deficient, and iron deficiency anemia affects 18.0% of non-pregnant women of reproductive age, compared to 21.2% in pregnant women.
Interestingly, the survey also suggests that boys have worse nutrition indicators than girls in several areas, including underweight, overweight, obesity, and short stature. This highlights the complex and multifaceted nature of the nutritional challenges facing the population.
| Image Caption:Pakistan malnutrition crisis: survey and reality. Image Source: National Nutritional Survey 2018 by Unicef. |
The National Nutrition Survey 2018, as presented in this image reveals a complex picture of malnutrition in Pakistan, particularly affecting women of reproductive age (WRA) and children. A significant portion of the sampled WRA are from rural areas, with limited education and a high percentage being housewives, often belonging to the poorest wealth index quintile. This context highlights the strong link between poverty and malnutrition. The survey underscores the profound impact of stunting, wasting, and micronutrient deficiencies on children's development, as well as the potential for a "vicious cycle" of malnutrition affecting both women and children. Contributing factors include poverty, low maternal education, gender inequalities, lack of awareness, and poor access to essential resources like clean water and adequate food. Despite the alarming situation, the survey suggests that evidence-based interventions are possible, emphasizing the need for urgent action and a comprehensive nutrition strategy to address malnutrition across Pakistan.
These statistics, like the ones concerning water contamination, are not mere numbers. They represent real individuals, especially young girls and children, whose health and well-being are being compromised by preventable conditions. This situation underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions to address malnutrition and anemia, particularly in vulnerable populations.
We must act now to ensure that these girls and children have access to the nutrition and healthcare they need to thrive. Failure to do so will have devastating consequences for their future and the future of our nation.
Through my research, I discovered the horrifying number of children, especially daughters of our nation , who are suffering from severe anemia and deprivation. Many of them are unable to attend school. Some are lured into drug trafficking at a young age. Others fall victim to child trafficking.
Some Daughters of the Nation are forced into child marriage (a cruel form of torture). Others, between the ages of 18 and 21, are selling their bodies to survive. Some are kidnapped and sold like commodities.
The life they live is neither begged from God nor chosen by them, but instead, is imposed by society.
The situation is beyond words. Even if one writes hundreds of books , society would remain unchanged, because they are unwilling to change.
Conclusion:
Our society is suffering from a self-inflicted disaster "a disaster spreading like terminal cancer, consuming every cell of our existence".
I am sorry. Alas, we have failed as a Nation!
| Sumair Ahmed Mahar. |
Comments
Post a Comment