NCRC child-friendly booklet launched

Islamabad

With an objective of making the observations and recommendations of United Nations on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) understandable for children, the Child Rights Movement (CRM) on Wednesday launched the child friendly version of the UNCRC Concluding Observations and Recommendations (CO&Rs) 2016.

The child friendly version was launched, along with the booklet of UNCRC Observations and Recommendations in both Urdu and English, at an event organised by CRM and UGOOD. The booklets will be widely disseminated among stakeholders including children to advocate for the implementation of the latest (CO&Rs) issued this year.

The child friendly version, the concept that is only introduced in Pakistan, explains the areas of concern identified in the UNCRC (CO&Rs) in a comic form in which different characters explain the issues highlighted in UNCRC observations and their impact on the society.

Pakistan is party to the UNCRC and is obliged to submit and periodic report every five years to the UN Committee on the Rights of Child about the steps been taken for the implementation of the Convention. Pakistan’s fifth periodic report, due in 2012, was submitted to United Nations in 2015 and was considered n May 2016. Pakistan will have to submit next report, which will be combined sixth and seventh periodic report, till June 11, 2021.

Sharing the details of the CO&Rs, Sajjad Cheema from Save the Children said committee has welcomed government initiatives in ratifying the optional protocol on sale of children, child prostitution, and pornography as well as adoption of number of acts since last review but has given a long list of the areas of concern starting from pending legislation to discrimination, right to survival, life and development, freedom of religion, violence against children, right to education, sexual abuse, harmful practices, health, family environment, disability, drug abuse, increasing number of maddrassas, access to justice, economic exploitation and child protection.

The Committee has urged the government to scrutinize the existing laws and approve the pending legislation for child protection. It says that despite the state party’s commitments in the past reports, the budget allocation to health and education remains extremely low. It also expresses concern over government’s limited cooperation with the civil society and restriction imposed on certain non-governmental organisations.

The committee notes serious discrimination against girl child in Pakistan and continuing gender gap in infant mortality rate and school enrolment.  The committee also observes that principle of best interest of the child is enshrined in the state legislation but the implementation of the legislation Is not in line with this principle. The committee urges the state to prevent killing of children by counterterrorism activities and combat malnutrition.

The UN committee express serious alarm at the reports of the execution of several individuals under the age of 18 highlighting the case of Abdur Rehaman,  Moinuddin and Muhammad Anwar and also towards what it says ‘limited freedom of religion” in Pakistan and sectarian violence targeting children of religious minorities such as Shia, Hindus, Christians and Ahmadis. It also deplored the reports of systematic and widespread torture and ill treatment of children in police stations and prisons.

The committee recommends the government of Pakistan to enforce it legislation that prohibit child marriages and initiate investigations and prosecutions of persons which decide and endorse harmful practices in violation of constitution and international obligations. The committee also urges the state to adopt a national refugee law in accordance with international standards and establish support mechanism for internally displaced children.

 Speaking on this occasion, the CRM partners appreciated the effort and stressed the need to improve the implementation of existing laws besides drafting new one to ensure maximum child protection. Executive Director Bilqees Tahira focused on the issue of bullying at schools. Sharing the findings of an international research, she said that the impact of bullying is equal to the years of being through sexual abuse. She also talked about the digital violence against children and said that girls are more vulnerable to such kind of violence.

Qudsiya Mehatab from Sparc highlighted the issue of domestic workers. She criticized the inaction of the government departments. “We all know that Peer Wadai bus station is the hub of child sexual abuse. Research papers have been written and documentaries have been produced providing ample evidence but we see the responsible departments continuing to ignore the issue. It is the same with other issues related to children,” she pointed out.

Chairperson HOAP organization talked about the importance of keeping in mind the cultural and social sensitivities while analyzing UNCRC observations. He stressed for addressing the root cause before coming up with solutions. “People send their children to madrassas due to poverty. Only law against madrassah would not help but for that, poverty eradication is the first step,” he suggested.

Chairman of Balochistan Chamber of Commerce Jamal Khan Tarakai talked about the need to implement the laws effectively. He said that only legislation could not protect the child rights unless it is implemented in the true spirit. “Unfortunately, our federal and provincial governments failed to deliver and still stuck in issues such as national census and provision of basic education and health services,” he added.

At the end, Muhammad Imtiaz Ahmad highlighted the importance of collaborative efforts but said that primarily, it is the responsibility of the government to implement national and international commitments.