Universal Children Day (October 3, 1977)

The stamp is issued on the occasion of Universal Children Day—1977. The theme of the stamp for this year is “Water for the Children of the World”. The format of the stamp is vertical. The salient features of the stamps are four simplified figures in Black, Yellow, White and Brown colours representing symbolically the 4 races of the children of the world. These figures appear against a flame-red background indicating heat and thirst. Above the figures U.N. insignia in form of a drop and having a green wreath around it, is shown in Blue colour which is indicative of water. Below it children with raised hands are try-ing to reach the water which is basic need of life. The top blue panel contains the caption in reverse. The word “Pakistan” in Urdu and English appear in Yellow at the bottom edge. The denomination “50P” and word “Postage” are printed in Black.
First Monday of October every year is observed as the Universal Children’s Day in most countries of the world. The day provides an occasion to focus attention on the needs and rights of the child. Every year one particular need is highlighted.
This year’s theme focuses attention on the provision of clean water and is aimed at increasing national and international efforts to ensure accessible sources of pure water to all children and to raise public consciousness of the vital link between pure water and child health. Together with air, food and energy water is a corner stone for the very existence of life itself.
However, for the rapidly increasing population of the World the resources of fresh potable water is becoming more and more scarce. The World Health Assembly has set definite targets, to improve the situation, i.e. all of the urban and 25% of the rural communities of the world to be provided with safe water by 1980.