President Dr Arif Alvi on Monday called upon the relevant Government organizations, civil society, human rights groups, media, UN agencies, community, parents, teachers, Ulema and children themselves to come together and play their constructive role in the national effort to improve the lives of children in Pakistan. "Children in Pakistan are vulnerable to several challenges like stunting, malnutrition and lack of access to quality education and health facilities," the president said in a message on the occasion of Universal Children’s Day.

Besides, he said children were facing various protection challenges like child trafficking, child marriage, child labour, corporal punishment, child abuse, children in conflict with the law, and harmful traditional practices. Today, Universal Children's Day is being celebrated under the theme “For every child, every right” to reaffirm our commitment to safeguard the rights and well-being of children.

Pakistan is a signatory to seven core international Human Rights Conventions, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Besides, Pakistan also ratified Optional Protocols to the UNCRC on the sale of children, child prostitution and pornography and the involvement of children in armed conflict. As a signatory to the UNCRC, Pakistan remains at the forefront to advocate, protect and promote child rights. President Alvi said children were the most precious resource of any nation and the sole guarantee for its future.

Pakistan is fully alive to its responsibilities towards its children and is making all efforts to ensure children’s inclusive development, birth registration, education, health care, participation, dignity and security as envisaged in our Constitution and UNCRC. He said Pakistan had promulgated a number of legislations including the ICT Child Protection Act, 2018, the Juvenile Justice System Act, 2018, the Zainab Alert Response and Recovery Act, 2020 and the insertion of “Child Domestic Labour” in the list of occupations of the Employment of Children’s Act, 1991.

He said this needed a committed societal response, and the communities and families need to play their role in this noble cause, particularly for the future of our nation. "Our religion, islam, enjoins parental responsibility for the well-being of children and for building their character by providing them with better education and training. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) loved children and was their most affectionate caretaker," he added.

 
Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)