The situation of children in Pakistan is shockingly grim. Every day a number of cases of child rights’ violation are reported in media. Recently in Karachi on two consecutive days, cases were reported where a girl and boy were first kidnapped, raped and sodomized and then murdered. There is no doubt that poverty, illiteracy, corruption, poor governance, internal strife and terrorism, man-made and natural catastrophes etc., have all taken a heavy toll on children’s life.
Poverty has pushed thousands of children into child labour, on the streets in conflict with the law, abandonment, and homelessness. Children are victims of trafficking, sexual physical, verbal and
emotional abuse, isolation and marginalization. All these child victims are in dire need of protection.
"Child Protection" refers to activities and interventions undertaken to prevent, respond, mitigate and curb acts of violence to protect children who suffered or are suffering or are at risk of suffering
significant harm and abuse, such as corporal punishment, sexual abuse, physical torture, trafficking, etc.
The broad spectrum of violence against children demands a system, that caters at length to the multi-dimensional requirements of types of violations. The need to provide systemic protection to children has been under consideration for a long time. Organizations working on child rights including, government agencies, international and national have been debating on formulating the best possible safety measures to protect children against all types of harm and abuse. Over period of time, the consequent discussions recognized the need to develop a child protection system that would protect children at risk of abuse and at the same time prevent recurrence of abuse and harm. A child protection system—as an identified concept common to all child protection practitioners—is new in Pakistan. The question that arises when one refers to a child protection system, or systemic work in child protection is: what is it?
The foundation of the child protection system thus envisaged would comprise laws, policies, regulations and services across all social sectors - especially social welfare, education, health, security and justice. To develop a child protection system in Pakistan is indeed a daunting task, considering the diversity of social, cultural, traditional and religious challenges.
Child Rights Legal Centre and Save the Children have joined hands, and organizing a National consultation on Child Protection System in Pakistan on Dec 22 and Dec 23 in Islamabad. The key highlight of the consultation is that all key departments from all four provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan, FATA, AJK are participating including Social Welfare, Police, Prison, Reclamation & Probation, Child Protection Units, Child Protection Commission, Remand Home, Child Protection Bureaus, Judicial Academy, National Child Protection Centre, etc. The event will also be attended by leading civil society organizations and national coalitions including National Juvenile Justice Network, Child
Rights Movements, Child Protection and Empowerment of Adolescent Network (CPEA).
There are specific child related laws and regulations promulgated national and provincially but most of them are poorly enforced. A large number of them suffer from gaps and loopholes that again fail to
protect children. There are institutions that are providing some measure of protection to children who are victims of violence and violation of their rights. The consultation will provide an opportunity to identify and highlight some of the existing good practices, discussed the gaps in the laws, which needed amendment to the benefit and in the best interests of children and to discuss at length as how children can be protected from them with the help of the existing laws, policies, plans, international standards, and institutions.
More information about National Consultation can be accessed at
http://www.
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Poverty has pushed thousands of children into child labour, on the streets in conflict with the law, abandonment, and homelessness. Children are victims of trafficking, sexual physical, verbal and
emotional abuse, isolation and marginalization. All these child victims are in dire need of protection.
"Child Protection" refers to activities and interventions undertaken to prevent, respond, mitigate and curb acts of violence to protect children who suffered or are suffering or are at risk of suffering
significant harm and abuse, such as corporal punishment, sexual abuse, physical torture, trafficking, etc.
The broad spectrum of violence against children demands a system, that caters at length to the multi-dimensional requirements of types of violations. The need to provide systemic protection to children has been under consideration for a long time. Organizations working on child rights including, government agencies, international and national have been debating on formulating the best possible safety measures to protect children against all types of harm and abuse. Over period of time, the consequent discussions recognized the need to develop a child protection system that would protect children at risk of abuse and at the same time prevent recurrence of abuse and harm. A child protection system—as an identified concept common to all child protection practitioners—is new in Pakistan. The question that arises when one refers to a child protection system, or systemic work in child protection is: what is it?
The foundation of the child protection system thus envisaged would comprise laws, policies, regulations and services across all social sectors - especially social welfare, education, health, security and justice. To develop a child protection system in Pakistan is indeed a daunting task, considering the diversity of social, cultural, traditional and religious challenges.
Child Rights Legal Centre and Save the Children have joined hands, and organizing a National consultation on Child Protection System in Pakistan on Dec 22 and Dec 23 in Islamabad. The key highlight of the consultation is that all key departments from all four provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan, FATA, AJK are participating including Social Welfare, Police, Prison, Reclamation & Probation, Child Protection Units, Child Protection Commission, Remand Home, Child Protection Bureaus, Judicial Academy, National Child Protection Centre, etc. The event will also be attended by leading civil society organizations and national coalitions including National Juvenile Justice Network, Child
Rights Movements, Child Protection and Empowerment of Adolescent Network (CPEA).
There are specific child related laws and regulations promulgated national and provincially but most of them are poorly enforced. A large number of them suffer from gaps and loopholes that again fail to
protect children. There are institutions that are providing some measure of protection to children who are victims of violence and violation of their rights. The consultation will provide an opportunity to identify and highlight some of the existing good practices, discussed the gaps in the laws, which needed amendment to the benefit and in the best interests of children and to discuss at length as how children can be protected from them with the help of the existing laws, policies, plans, international standards, and institutions.
More information about National Consultation can be accessed at
http://www.