18 November
World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and
Violence
On November 18, the United Nations' designated World Day for the Prevention and
Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Violence, HinduPACT’s CHINGARI
initiative (Coalition for HINdu Girls Abducted and their RIghts) will hold a coordinated
global vigil highlighting the ongoing crisis facing Hindu, Sikh, and Christian minor girls in
Pakistan. Each year, approximately one thousand girls from these minority communities
are kidnapped, sexually assaulted, forcibly converted, and married under coercive
circumstances. These cases mainly occur in Sindh and other regions where minority
families have little legal protection, limited recourse, and face structural barriers to
justice.
Deepti Mahajan, President of HinduPACT, noted that the international community must
address this crisis with clarity and moral seriousness. She stated that the world cannot
credibly claim to uphold the rights of children while ignoring the systematic abuse of
young girls in Pakistan’s minority communities. She added that CHINGARI serves as a
reminder that these victims are not numbers but children whose rights and dignity
require firm global advocacy.
CHINGARI is a human rights initiative of HinduPACT, an independent American Hindu
policy and advocacy organization. CHINGARI documents cases of abduction and forced
conversion, supports affected families through public advocacy, and engages with
policymakers, human rights institutions, and media to ensure that these crimes receive
the visibility and scrutiny required for meaningful change.
This year’s Global Vigil is being organized in partnership with Insight UK and Optics
Australia. Insight UK is a national advocacy group representing Hindu and Indian
communities in the United Kingdom with a focus on raising awareness of discrimination
and targeted violence. Optics Australia, a social initiative, is dedicated to serving the
Australian Hindu and Australian Indian (AHI) community. Optics Australia works to raise
awareness, deliver information to, and educate the AHI community on political, social,
and cultural matters.
Their participation reflects a broader international concern regarding the escalating
vulnerability of minority girls in Pakistan and the absence of adequate legal safeguards.
The Global Vigil will include online participation across the United States, the United
Kingdom, Australia, and additional countries. Organizers will call on governments,
human rights bodies, and international institutions to acknowledge the systemic nature
of these abductions and to encourage Pakistan to establish effective mechanisms for
prevention, prosecution, and victim rehabilitation. The initiative also urges media and
academic institutions to report on these abuses with accuracy and balance, rather than
minimizing or overlooking the pattern of coercion documented over several decades.
Mahajan emphasized that the abduction and forced conversion of minors must be
recognized as a grave violation of human rights that deserves sustained international
engagement. She noted that silence has only enabled further exploitation and that 18
November provides an appropriate occasion for governments, civil society, and faith
communities to reaffirm their commitment to protecting vulnerable children.
About CHINGARI
CHINGARI (Coalition for Hindu Girls Abducted and their Rights), a project of HinduPACT.
CHINGARI is a social justice campaign aimed at bringing awareness about the atrocities that
young, innocent Hindu girls face in Pakistan.
About HinduPACT:
The Hindu Policy Research and Advocacy Collective (HinduPACT) is dedicated to the
advocacy and policy research of issues concerning the American Hindu community.
HinduPACT promotes human rights, voter education, and policies affecting American
Hindus, aiming for peace and understanding through informed policy initiatives and
grassroots advocacy. Visit https://hindupact.org
