Call to protect child rights

Lahore : Protection of children from violence, abuse and exploitation must be the government priority as the country is obligated under th United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) to take all legislative, administrative and other policy measures to address the issue.

This was said by speakers while addressing a conference titled “Setting the Way Forward to Ensure Protection of Children from Violence” organised by an NGO with the support of Australian High Commission in Pakistan.

Child rights activist Iftikhar Mubarik said there was a need to initiate capacity building programmes for key stakeholders, including the law enforcement agencies, with an exclusive focus on child rights. He said the NGO with the collaboration of Australian High Commission in Pakistan was going to pilot a short-term project for development of capacities of relevant government departments, parliamentarians and local government representatives in Punjab.

Punjab Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) Chairperson Fauzia Viqar agreed with the proposal of civil society organisations to establish an independent provincial commission on the rights of children as a statuary body to oversee the implementation of Pakistan’s international obligations related to children as well as to act as a full-time body to respond to child rights violation in general and violence against children in particular.

Child Protection and Welfare Bureau Chairperson Saba Sadiq assured her full support to the civil society in development of child protection policy. She said the doors of CPWB were open for all civil society organisations and it would be there to lead the formulation process of the child protection policy. She also agreed on establishment of an apex body at the provincial level to deal with the issues of children as well as development of an action plan by engaging different stakeholders to end violence against children.

Provincial Minister for Environment Protection Zakia Shahnawaz emphasised that child protection should be top priority of all political parties. "We must invest in children’s protection and increase the allocation of budget to carry out continuous campaigns focusing on behaviour change of public at large toward children," she added.

Australian High Commissioner in Pakistan Ms Margret Adamson showed her pleasure to support an initiative for promotion and protection of children’s rights. "The child protection is one of our international development priorities," she added.