Child Rights Activist Seeks Proper Mechanism To Help Ban On Corporal Punishment

Senior pediatrician and a child rights' activist, Dr. Ayesha Mehnaz has suggested provision for an efficient "Reporting Mechanism" to help meaningful implementation of ban on corporal punishment at educational institutions, childcare institutions and rehabilitation centers

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Feb, 2021 ) :Senior pediatrician and a child rights' activist, Dr. Ayesha Mehnaz has suggested provision for an efficient "Reporting Mechanism" to help meaningful implementation of ban on corporal punishment at educational institutions, childcare institutions and rehabilitation centers.

Talking to APP Wednesday, she appreciated that finally the much warranted bill was adopted but emphasized need for a strong political will for implementation of the same in letter and spirit.

"It should not be NGO dependent," said the activist urging that state must own it and ensure its implementation in true letter and spirit.

"State must be party to it easing the process of case registration, investigation and execution of penalty once and if the accused is established to be culprit," said Prof. Ayesha Mehnaz.

Reiterating that "Reporting Mechanism" was the basic step to turn the law actually beneficial for the children she said each of the educational centers, be they schools or seminaries, must be required to have a monitoring committee along with a dedicated government department assigned with the responsibility to keep a vigilance on concerned centers.

In reply to a query, the activist said NGOs can play a role in vigilance but must not be expected to bring about the difference as it has to be a collective responsibility with active involvement of every stakeholder.

To another query, Dr. Ayesha Mehnaz said experience has shown that public interest laws could not produce desired results as the spirit to eradicate menace was and continues to be largely missing.

"Consequently we find that victims and their families due to deep sense of insecurity and absence of a strong body to protect their interest do succumb to pressures and give up their right to justice," she elaborated further.

The child specialist, by qualification and profession, particularly working for the protection of children against abuse also took strong exception to the trend whereby victims are compelled to make underhand dealing under the pretext of mutual compromise.

"These are the barriers that have to be done away with coupled with a motive to create a society safeguarding the rights of its members without any distinction," said the activist.

Prof. Ayesha Mehnaz mentioning that PM Imran Khan was "the" leader who on the occasion of his oath taking, as the premier, had talked about the rights of children, engendering hope and confidence among many that situation may turn for good.