As the expression goes, grass is trampled in the war of elephants, which in our case is the people of Pakistan and the children who are Pakistan’s future. In our quest for hegemony and amassing as much power as possible, our leaders and stakeholders tend to overlook our country’s dire and formidable challenges These are particularly the damaging, killing, and horrifying issue of the country’s over 42% stunting rate, which is the highest in the world even when compared to poor and war-torn African countries.
Stunting affects every one of Pakistan’s five children, resulting in a low height-for-age ratio, chronic malnutrition and inadequate growth, and long-term nutritional deficits. This rate is concerning since it has serious repercussions for individuals’ health and development, as well as for families and the country as a whole.
Individually, it impairs physical and cognitive development, increases susceptibility to diseases, reduces productivity in maturity, limits educational attainment, and contributes to a cycle of poverty and hunger. For families, this involves higher healthcare costs and financial burdens due to medical expenses and stunted persons’ diminished output. High stunting rates can have a detrimental impact on a country’s economic development and productivity, affecting labor productivity and overall economic growth.
In our drive for hegemony, acquiring power, wealth, and influence, we forget that we are denying over 42% of children access to diversified and nutritious foods, particularly throughout early infancy. We also deny moms access to nutrition and critical nutrients throughout pregnancy, which contributes to low birth weight and raises the risk of childhood stunting. We are refusing to provide a balanced diet to the majority of mothers in our quest for power and influence, resulting in the fact that they do not produce enough milk to breastfeed their children for the first six months of life, which is critical for the optimal growth and development of a child.
In Pakistan, improper nursing practices have contributed to stunting. While the governing and privileged classes have access to clean, filtered, and fortified water as well as clinical hygiene facilities, we are denying over 80% of the population access to clean water and sanitation, exposing them to frequent infections that aggravate the risk of stunting. In our thirst for power, we are sacrificing an entire generation on the altar of vested interests.
Unlike Pakistan, several countries that gained independence much later than us decided to invest in human resources in order to not only grow rich and prosperous, but also to lift the entire nation out of poverty. They did not begin by investing in a luxurious lifestyle or in the purchase of exotic defence hardware and software. Nor did they plunder the national wealth for themselves and for their future generations, but instead made the correct decision to invest in people and grow rich and prosperous.
They directed national resources on promoting breastfeeding, particularly exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, and providing broad and nutritious food for children and pregnant or lactating women. They strengthened the healthcare system not only for themselves, but for the entire nation, by providing quality antenatal and postnatal care, with a focus on maternal nutrition and child growth monitoring, access to clean water and sanitation facilities to reduce the risk of infections, and raising public awareness about the importance of nutrition, breastfeeding, hygiene, and sanitation practises through education campaigns aimed at families, communities, and healthcare providers.
Our beloved country is also suffering from yet another destructive, harmful, and highly toxic political stunt, which is harmful to the political development of individuals, groups, and the entire nation. Political stunting grips the country like a chronic infection when political stakeholder groups use political actions or events strategically to gain attention, generate publicity, or manipulate public opinion, rather than achieving substantive policy goals or addressing genuine societal issues. It occurs when political stakeholder groups use theatrics or performative acts to affect public opinion or redirect attention away from vital issues.
It occurs when people in power use harassment, intimidation, imprisonment, or even violence against opposition leaders, followers, or activists to repress or restrict the activities of political opposition groups or individuals. It takes place when someone interferes with the electoral process by rigging elections, lowering voter turnout, participating in voter intimidation, or meddling with ballot counting, inhibiting the growth of a fair and democratic political system.
It occurs via regulating or censoring the media in order to limit access to information, or by manipulating media narratives in order to favor specific political players, thereby impeding the development of an informed voter and a vibrant democratic discourse. It takes place by weakening or undermining the independence of key democratic institutions such as the judiciary, election commissions, and anti-corruption bodies, which can impede the natural functioning of the political process. When these institutions are compromised or under political influence, they may fail to provide the necessary checks and balances on the government, resulting in a power imbalance.
When engaged in political stunting, politicians may use symbolic acts or gestures that are aesthetically pleasing but have no real substantive implications. These behaviors are frequently aimed at getting media attention or appealing to specific voter groups. During a public event, a political organization, for example, may engage in a photo opportunity or make a grand gesture, such as signing a large paper or organizing a march. Political groups frequently employ populist language and rhetoric to win support or build an emotional connection with their audience. In the absence of a comprehensive plan or an examination of the underlying complexities of the issues at hand, they may deploy simplistic slogans, aggressive assertions, or overstated promises.
Populist rhetoric is effective in capturing public attention and appealing to popular sentiments, yet it is often empty of substance. The intentional staging of events or performances aimed at shaping public opinion, such as organizing press conferences, rallies, or public debates with predetermined outcomes or carefully scripted interactions to control the narrative and manipulate public perception in order to create a spectacle rather than engaging in meaningful dialogue or constructive policy debates, could be used as a political stunting tool in this case.
Making grandiose promises or delivering emotional speeches on specific topics without following through with real measures or policy changes solely to assuage public opinion or obtain political support without a true commitment to tackling the problem is another example. It may utilise protests or rallies as powerful weapons to associate itself with popular causes, and it may accept certain policy positions or advocate specific causes depending on their prospective popularity by shifting stances or embracing policies merely for political expediency.
Political stunting is dangerous because it undermines the integrity of the political process and weakens democratic institutions. It erodes public trust in the political system. Citizens become disillusioned and skeptical of political actors, leading to decreased engagement and participation in the democratic process. It can undermine the independence and effectiveness of democratic institutions, such as the judiciary, media, and electoral bodies.
This can result in a concentration of power and a lack of checks and balances, leading to a potential erosion of democracy. It can deepen societal divisions, fuel polarisation, hinder constructive dialogue and cooperation between different political actors and groups, impede effective governance, and delay or prevent the implementation of meaningful reforms and policies that address the needs of the citizens.
Nations that are achieving rapid progress have put an end to political stunting in their countries. They achieved this seemingly impossible task by upholding the independence, transparency, and effectiveness of institutions such as the judiciary, electoral commissions, and anti-corruption bodies by enacting legal reforms, safeguarding their autonomy, and ensuring putting in place credible accountability mechanisms; by implementing robust transparency measures, safeguarding freedom of the press and ensuring media pluralism and independence; by promoting civic education programs that promote democratic values, political participation, and critical thinking to help citizens understand their rights, responsibilities; by encouraging inclusive and participatory politics; by ensuring the rule of law to uphold and provide equal access to justice for all citizens; by fostering international cooperation with International organizations and governments to seek support for initiatives that promote democracy and to provide technical assistance to monitor and condemn instances of political stunting.
We can also control and reduce both stunting in children and stunting in politics by benchmarking the best practices of the countries that have successfully controlled these maladies. We can control stunting in children by taking a multi-sectoral approach to address the underlying causes of malnutrition and ensuring optimal nutrition, health, and overall development of mother and child by improving maternal nutrition: Pregnant women must have enough nourishment to avoid stunting. Encourage pregnant women to have access to a varied and balanced diet, iron and folic acid supplements, and nutritional counseling.
Likewise we can reduce political stunting, provided our political groups, civil society organizations, citizens, and international actors agree to encourage open and constructive communication between different political factions. Facilitate discussions, debates, and negotiations to find common ground and develop collaborative solutions. Emphasize the importance of respectful and inclusive dialogue. Promote civic education and political literacy to enhance understanding among citizens about the political process, the importance of compromise, and the consequences of political stunting. Hold politicians and stakeholders accountable for their actions and decisions.
Encourage public participation in decision-making processes through mechanisms like public hearings or citizen advisory panels. Strengthening democratic institutions, such as an independent judiciary, free media, and impartial electoral systems. Find compromises, and bridge gaps between different factions. Empower citizens to engage in grassroots movements and mobilize for political change. Encourage politicians and citizens to adopt a long-term perspective and prioritize the greater good over short-term gains and above all political leaders and stakeholders should exemplify the values of integrity, collaboration, and respect by demonstrating ethical behavior and a commitment to the common good to inspire others to follow suit and foster a more constructive political environment. (Edited by Khadijah Kamili)
*Opinions in this piece are based on personal observations of the writer.
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