NCC Direly Needed To Protect Child Rights: Consultation

ISLAMABAD,(UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Augst,2016) : The participants of a national consultation unanimously endorsed the need of a National Commission on Children (NCC) at the earliest to safeguard right of children. Addressing the child protection issues organized by Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) here on Thursday, they asked for enforcement of Constitutional provisions for universal, compulsory and free education of every child besides revising Juvenile Justice System Ordinance and Police order (2002). The participants of the moot included members of HRCP, child rights activists, lawyers, journalists and representatives of civil society organizations. They also recommended to introduce child health facilities in public and private hospitals without any discrimination, establishment of district government-led Child Protection Units with a special focus on child labour and girls of rural areas. They also pointed out that special steps should also be ensured for peri-urbankatchi abadis, adding that any discrimination on basis of ethnic/religion would not be tolerated.

While children of marganilzed areas, minorities, Internally Displaced Persons, refugees and nomads should be kept on priority, they added. Sharing his views, member Islamabad Capital Territory, National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR), Chaudhry Shafique stated that broader recommendations pertaining to legislation, policy and government mechanisms for child protection are imperative for secure future of our younger generation. The participants of the consultation agreed that there was a need to raise awareness on protecting children, who are voiceless and non-represented in policy making level. They said spiraling poverty, unemployment, rural/urban migration, health, population, education, and, above all, socio-cultural traditions and harmful practices are the major threats to future pillars of our nation.