On December 30 and 31, 2025 in Islamabad, Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) in partnership with Secours Islamique France (SIF) staged puppet shows and panel discussions for 900 marginalized and orphan children and their mothers, using creative storytelling to advance child protection and digital safety awareness.
Part of an ongoing programme launched in 2021, the initiative addressed child protection, cybercrime, mental health, gender equality, and education for all. Puppetry was used as an accessible communication tool to explain children’s rights, clarify parental responsibilities, promote safe use of digital devices, and encourage children to share concerns with trusted elders.
The National Puppet Theatre presented impactful stories including Meena Ki Kahani, Roshni Ka Naya Sawera, and Babu Aur Pappu, highlighting girls’ education, protection from abuse, the importance of saying “No” to strangers, and online safety. Popular puppet hosts Kiran and Ali actively engaged with the audience throughout, reinforcing child protection messages in an interactive and age-appropriate manner.
The programme received an encouraging response from attendees and local stakeholders, underscoring the value of arts-based outreach for raising awareness about child protection across Pakistani communities. PNCA said it will continue to promote puppet theatre as a tool for social awareness and invited organisations working in education, health, social welfare, and child and women’s rights to collaborate on similar initiatives.
