LAHORE :Different organisations took out a rally to observe Universal Children Day here on Monday. United Nations Universal Children’s Day is celebrated on November 20 every year to promote children's welfare. Addressing the rally, Rashida Qureshi, coordinator of a child rights organisation, urged the chief minister to take concrete steps to protect child rights. She said in 2014 Rana Sanaullah had assured that the Punjab government would establish Punjab Commission on the rights of children which could not be set up after three years. Ms Qureshi regretted that the government was not able to formulate its strategic priorities to prevent children from all forms of abuse and exploitation. Child rights activist Iftikhar Mubarik highlighted the unfortunate situation of child domestic labour in Punjab, referring the statistics of Child Protection & Welfare Bureau who rescued 73 child domestic labourers who were suffering from brutal torture by their employers. A child rights defender, Omer, showed concern over absence of an action plan to deal with issue of violence against children. Another child rights defender, Laiba, shared that in June 2016 UN Committee on the Rights of Child in its concluding observations to Pakistan reiterated its previous recommendation that Pakistan should effectively increase budgetary allocations for children, particularly for the groups of children who require social affirmative action. Child activist Nazeefa Fatima highlighted the need for collection of comprehensive data of children on move and urged for women economic empowerment to improve livelihood opportunities for women to reduce poverty. walk: A walk was held to observe Universal Children’s Day from Children’s Library Complex here on Monday. The walk organised by Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) was attended by a large number of people from different walks of life. Along with the walk, different activities such as singing were also organised. Touseef Arshad, Chief Provincial Commissioner for Children (CPCC) at the office of the Ombudsman Punjab, Ms Rabia Yusuf, Child Protection Officer at the Child Welfare and Protection Bureau and Dr Baela Raza Jamil, CEO of ITA and Commissioner of International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunity, were present on the occasion.
