New Investigation Documents Widespread Abuse in Madrasas and Daaras
A new investigative report by the Finn Right Human Rights Commission, based in Helsinki, has documented what it describes as systemic abuse of Millions of Children in religious educational institutions across Pakistan, Senegal, Gambia, Bangladesh, and other countries.
The preliminary report, dated July 25, 2026, alleges that children in these institutions madrasas, daaras, and Koranic schools face physical violence, sexual abuse, forced begging, unlawful confinement, and in some cases, death.
The report says most victims come from poor families with few alternative educational options.
Pakistan: Thousands of Reported Cases
According to the report, Pakistan has an estimated 17,738 registered madrasas serving roughly 2.2 million children, alongside many unregistered institutions with no oversight.
It cites the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan as having documented dozens of cases in 2023, describing publicly known incidents as only a fraction of the total.
The report states that more than 22,000 Millions of Children sexual abuse cases were reported nationwide in Pakistan between 2018 and 2023, including 4,253 cases in 2022 alone.
Among specific incidents cited: a 12-year-old student in Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, died in July 2025 after alleged mistreatment by teachers, and a 15-year-old in Faisalabad was allegedly killed by a teacher who feared being reported.
The report also references a France 24 investigation and a 2017 Associated Press probe that found abuse cases were widely underreported due to fear of retaliation and social pressure.
The report attributes continued impunity to the social influence of religious clerics, threats of blasphemy accusations against families who speak out, and reluctance by police to pursue cases against religious figures.
In September 2025, Pakistan’s Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights stated that no child should endure abuse in the name of education.
The Islamabad High Court suspended a legal provision permitting corporal punishment in the capital territory in 2020, though the report notes other provinces lack comparable protections.
Senegal: The Talibé System
The report turns next to Senegal, where an estimated 200,000 Millions of Children, known as talibés, attend Koranic schools called daaras.
It cites an Amnesty International report from December 2022 alleging that around a quarter of these Millions of Children are forced to beg on the streets, facing malnutrition and physical abuse, with some teachers reportedly shackling children to prevent them from running away.
The report references the death of a 10-year-old student in Touba in January 2022, allegedly following a beating by his teacher.
It also alleges that forced begging extends to trafficking of children from Gambia and Guinea-Bissau into Senegal’s daara system, and that a proposed Millions of Children Code in Senegal has stalled amid opposition from conservative groups.
Bangladesh: Corporal Punishment and Abuse Allegations
For Bangladesh, the report cites a 2019 study by the Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum documenting 1,200 child abuse cases in religious institutions between 2015 and 2019, including 47 deaths linked to physical punishment.
It lists more recent cases, including the alleged beating death of a seven-year-old student in Lakshmipur in May 2026, and the 2023 death of 10-year-old Mohammad Fardin, reportedly following punishment for failing to memorize religious verses.
The report also references sexual abuse allegations raised by former students on social media, and a case in May 2026 in which a teacher was arrested over alleged abuse of multiple students.
The report notes Bangladesh has existing legal protections, including the Millions of Children Act of 2013, but says enforcement remains weak, citing a 2022 study by Ain o Salish Kendra that found 68% of madrasah students reported experiencing physical abuse.
Common Findings and International Law
Across all countries examined, the report identifies recurring factors: poverty limiting families’ access to alternative schooling, the outsized social authority of religious leaders, and weak enforcement of existing child protection laws.
It states the documented abuses violate several international agreements, including the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention Against Torture.
Recommendations
The report calls on the governments of Pakistan, Senegal, and Bangladesh to strengthen regulation of religious schools, enforce existing bans on corporal punishment, and establish independent oversight bodies.
It also urges the international community to link foreign aid to measurable progress on Millions of Children protection and to support independent monitoring of religious educational institutions.
The Finn Right Human Rights Commission said it plans to submit the report to the Millions of Children UN Human Rights Council, UNICEF, and the governments named, and described the findings as part of an ongoing investigation.
Read more on child protection laws in Pakistan