07 February 2004	Saturday	15 Zilhaj 1424

ISLAMABAD, Feb 6: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Women Development and Social Welfare Nilofar Bakhtiar has said 2004 will be celebrated as the year of child rights movement.

In this regard, the provincial governments have already been asked to make arrangements for general masses sensitization on child rights, she said. Ms Bakhtiar was speaking at a meeting of the National Commission on Children Welfare and Development (NCCWD) on Friday.

She said President Gen Pervez Musharraf had recently signed a pledge, 'Say Yes to Child Rights Movement in Pakistan', to provide education to children and prevent their exploitation.

"The pledge needs to be carried forward throughout the country to create greater awareness among masses at grass-roots level", she said. The task of safeguarding child rights and providing the next generation a better place to live in is not an easy task and cannot be accomplished by the government alone.

The adviser said it required a committed resolve from civil society bodies in particular and international organizations in general so that a comprehensive strategy could be worked out.

She said Pakistan had ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in 1990, and was under obligation to implement its provisions set forth for child survival, development, protection and participation.

Under Article (44) of the CRC, the country is also under obligation to report progress made on the implementation of the CRC to the UN committee on the rights of the child on periodic basis.

She said the National Commission for Child Welfare and Development was responsible for monitoring the implementation of CRC and its periodic reporting to the UN committee, adding that the commission had already submitted two periodic reports to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.

The second periodic report, which was submitted in January 2001, has been considered in the 34th session by the UN Committee on September 22, 2003 at Geneva.

She said she led the Pakistani delegation to Geneva to present the country report before the UN committee, adding that "the committee has appreciated the actions taken by Pakistan for the implementation of CRC such as withdrawal of the general reservation on Convention on the Rights of the Child on July 23, 1997, ratification of ILO 182 Convention on Elimination of Worst Forms of Child Labour, Adoption of Juvenile Justice System (JJSO), Promulgation of Prevention and Control of Human Trafficking Ordinance 2002 and preparation of comprehensive national policy and plan of action through a participatory approach.

During the meeting, provincial representatives of federal ministries and provincial governments discussed the issues of children in detail and expressed their views to solve them.