Sindh Govt To Take All Stakeholders On-board On Human Rights' Policy

Sindh Human Rights Department has decided to take Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and other civil society stakeholders on-board on its draft Human Rights' Policy before its final approval by the Sindh Cabinet

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Nov, 2022 ) :Sindh Human Rights Department has decided to take Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and other civil society stakeholders on-board on its draft Human Rights' Policy before its final approval by the Sindh Cabinet.

The decision was taken at a consultative meeting on Draft Human Rights Policy, here on Monday, with Special Assistant to Chief Minister for Human Rights Surendar Valasai in chair.

Sindh Labour Minister Saeed Ghani, Special Assistant to CM for Wildlife Bangul Khan Mahar, and representatives of relevant departments also attended the meeting.

The draft policy is developed by Human Rights Department with inputs from UNDP and several human rights activists.

Surendar Valasai, at the occasion, said that protection and promotion of Human Rights were among top priorities of PPP and the party chairman and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was taking keen interest in the Human Rights' Policy.

He shared that draft Sindh HR Policy focuses on the promotion, protection and fulfilment of human rights in compliance with the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution of Pakistan, core United Nations (UN) human rights treaties ratified by Pakistan and other international obligations under Sustainable Development Goals and Generalised Scheme of Preference (GSP-Plus).

Secretary Human Rights Department Noreen Bashir said that the policy also focuses on the promotion, protection and fulfilment of Civil and Political Rights and Economic Social and Cultural Rights of various groups such as women, children, minorities, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, transgender persons, workers, juveniles, prisoners and so on.

She added that the policy also aimed at building awareness on human rights.

Saeed Ghani, Minister for Labour and Human Resources suggested circulating the draft policy to concerned stakeholders including government departments, civil society organisations and activists for the review and input to make the draft policy more inclusive and participatory before placing it before the Provincial Cabinet.

The participants of the meeting unanimously endorsed the advice while SACM Bangul Khan Mahar also suggested sharing the draft policy with ministers and administrative secretaries of relevant departments for their feedback.

Human Rights are a complex phenomenon with varied cross cutting themes and issues, which necessitated the need for a comprehensive Policy framework for synergising the efforts of all concerned government departments and institutions to promote and protect human rights, Surendar Valasai said and added that the implementation of the policy aimed at tasking provincial government to utilise all relevant departments for future actions.

He assured that the draft policy shall be circulated among the all stakeholders including those working on the rights and issues of women, children, minorities, and senior citizens, persons with disabilities, transgender persons, workers, juveniles, and prisoners.