PESHAWAR: Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Masood Kausar on Tuesday formally unveiled the Child Protection Policy for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and announced its immediate enforcement.
Fata is the country's first administrative unit to prepare and launch the policy to ensure the children's protection against all forms of violence, abuse, discrimination, neglect and exploitation, said a handout issued here.
Under the policy, the Fata social welfare department will establish social welfare complex in all tribal agencies.
'Five child protection centres in Safi tehsil of Mohmand Agency have already been established in 2010 and such facilities will also be set up at tehsil level of all Fata agencies for welfare of children. In addition to it, Fata Commission for the Protection and Welfare of Children will also be established to work for the effective supervision and coordination of child rights and protection activities,' stated the policy.
The policy further said apart from mass awareness for children protection, shelters would also be provided for disowned, kidnapped and orphan children besides rehabilitation services for victims of natural disasters and armed conflicts.
'Fata Secretariat will make efforts for enhancing coordination between the agency administration and Nadra for achieving universal child birth registration under a pilot programme in Fata,' it said.
The policy launching ceremony at the Governor's House here was attended by former chief secretary Ejaz Qureshi, additional chief secretary Fata Fazal Karim Khattak, officials of Unicef and Fata Secretariat, tribal elders and other stakeholders.
A memorandum of understanding was also signed between Fata Secretariat and Nadra for Fata birth registration pilot project.
'Today, we have taken a momentous step for millions of Fata children whereby the government with help of friendly donors is going to ensure a child protection policy for them in more effective and coordinated manner,' the governor told participants.He said the government had the political will and firm determination for implementation of the policy in letter and spirit.
'Formulation of the policy was an uphill task. It had been a process which called for considerable diligence and hard work to compete with feasible options, which meet the standard of UN Convention on Child Rights and to which Pakistan is a signatory since 1990,' he said.
The governor said the difficult situation faced by Fata people was not of their creation, adding that they laid down their lives for ensuring regional and world peace.
He urged international community and donor agencies to support the government in reconstruction and rehabilitation of damaged infrastructure for socioeconomic development of tribal people.
Mr Kausar said youth and children represented most portion of the tribal areas' population, adding that the time had come to give them quality science and technical education, vocational training and jobs opportunities to take full advantage of their potential.
'It is the responsibility of the state to provide free education to children under 18th amendment and the government will ensure it', he said, adding that children would deliver the desired results in education if they're properly groomed and looked after.
The governor directed the additional chief secretary Fata to establish social welfare complex in Khyber Agency.
Others speakers including former chief secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ejaz Ahmed Qureshi threw light on salient features of Fata Child Protection Policy.
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