Workshop arranged on anti-child violence action plan

PESHAWAR: The National Commission on the Rights of Child (NCRC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Human Rights, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Child Protection and Welfare Commission, and UNICEF, held a two-day Provincial Consultative Workshop to develop a strategic work plan aimed at fulfilling Pakistan’s national pledges on Ending Violence Against Children (EVAC).

The initiative is part of a broader series of federal and provincial consultations, following Pakistan’s commitment at the Global Ministerial Conference on EVAC held in Bogotá, Colombia, in November last year.

Stakeholders from various government departments, law enforcement agencies, and development partners attended the workshop.Participants included representatives from UNICEF, the Ministry of Human Rights, KP’s Child Protection and Welfare Commission, and provincial departments of Education, Health, Social Welfare, Law, Labour, Planning and Development, Local Government, Police, Finance, and more.

Nadia Bibi, a member of the NCRC from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, welcomed the participants and emphasized the commission’s advisory role, stressing that the implementation responsibility rests with federal and provincial bodies. She reaffirmed the NCRC’s commitment to supporting stakeholders in turning national pledges into measurable and context-specific actions.

Over the two days, participants exchanged insights, identified priority areas, and drafted an initial action plan for the province.The plan proposes timelines, interdepartmental coordination frameworks, and monitoring indicators to track progress.

The NCRC urged all departments to integrate the action plan into their strategies and budgets and called for the appointment of focal persons and the establishment of review mechanisms. The commission emphasized the importance of moving swiftly from planning to implementation to ensure every child grows up in a safe and nurturing environment.