First-ever female elected CM to Sindh Children’s Parliament

In a landmark moment for the first-ever Sindh Children’s Parliament, Syeda Rida Batool Kazmi took the oath as chief minister after securing a decisive victory with 40 votes.

Her contender, a ninth grade student from GHS Mithi Tharparkar, Ashok Kumar, trailed behind with 24 votes and became opposition leader. Rida’s success marks a promising beginning for this historic initiative, showcasing young leadership in action.

Officials said the Thar Education Alliance with support from the Sindh Education and Literacy Department (SE&LD), Reform Support Unit (RSU) and Unicef launched an initiative that aimed to empower children and promote the right to education across Sindh.

The children from 30 districts of Sindh participated in this initiative, two children were selected from each of the districts, while six students were chosen from the Sajawal district due to its low literacy rate. These representatives serve as the voices of their respective districts in parliament.

The newly elected CM for the Sindh Children’s Parliament, 10th grade student Syeda Rida Batool Kazmi from GGHSS Tando Allahyar, said while talking with the media that the Children’s Parliament process had inspired her to believe that a woman could be the chief minister of Sindh. “Though this initiative focuses on the rights of children, I am confident that, with a well-structured advocacy plan and the support of our representatives, we can drive meaningful change.”