An interactive session led by NCRC CAP members during World Children’s Day focused on the dangers of substance abuse and the pressures that push children toward risky choices. The event opened with a dramatic portrayal in which young participants showed how peer pressure can coax a schoolmate to “just try it once,” making clear how casual encouragement can lead to harmful experimentation.
Dr. Tayyab Faheem Tahir, Demonstrator and Community Medicine expert, then guided an engaging dialogue about how harmful substances affect the brain and body. He explained the long-term physical and psychological consequences of drug use and emphasised how understanding these effects helps young people resist temptations and make safer decisions about substance abuse.
Valarie Khan Yousafzai, Child Rights Expert and Technical Advisor at NCRC, broadened the conversation to consider community-level impacts. She noted how substance abuse damages family bonds, undermines community resilience and can threaten social stability, underscoring the need for coordinated action to protect children.
A former IG police officer addressed the legal side, outlining how involvement with illegal substances and related offences can carry serious penalties. His remarks clarified how encounters with the law can derail education, limit future opportunities and have lasting consequences for a young person’s life.
The session combined peer-led drama, medical insight and legal perspective to empower participants with knowledge, confidence and practical tools to avoid risky behaviour. By centring children’s voices and engaging parents, educators and authorities, the event reinforced that preventing substance abuse is a shared responsibility across Pakistani communities.
