Campaign against child abuse launched

Islamabad : Federal Minister for Human Rights Dr. Shireen Mazari initiated school visits as part of the “Protecting Our Children: Preventing Child Abuse” awareness campaign launched by Ministry of Human Rights in July 2019.

The campaign includes visit to over 20 schools within the ICT along with on-going initiatives through electronic and digital media. The campaign will culminate on Universal Children’s Day falling on November 20. Famous singer Shehzad Roy is the goodwill ambassador for the campaign.

The initiative is aimed at informing the public especially families, care givers, and parents about the importance of noticing the signs of child abuse so that children can be protected and supported in order to be taken out of such situations.

The Federal Minister visited Alfarabi Islamic School and Degree College, Nelore, and had an interactive dialogue with students, teachers and parents on the symptoms of child survivors of sexual abuse. She informed students about the importance of differentiating between good and bad touches in preventing child sexual abuse.

The Federal Minister emphasized that parents and teachers should encourage children to speak out whenever they feel uncomfortable. She further stated that parents are required to learn life skills for children to understand children’s feeling and emotions.

While addressing the parents, teachers and children, MNA Khuram Shahzad Nawaz, appreciated the initiative of Ministry of Human Rights for awareness and sensitization on child abuse. He said that child abuse is a universal phenomenon and most of the cases remain unreported.

He said the Government is fully cognisant to address the issue of child abuse through available possible means.

In order to protect children from abuse and exploitation, the Government has promulgated The Criminal Law (Second Amendment) Act, 2016, National Commission on the Rights of the Child Act, 2017, and The ICT Child Protection Act, 2018. A Toll Free Helpline 1099 is also operating in the Ministry of Human Rights to provide fee legal advice to the victims of human/child rights violations.