QUETTA, October 13: Speakers at a workshop held here have stressed the importance of protection of the rights of the children.

The workshop on the “Convention on the Rights of Child,” that concluded on Sunday, had been organized by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the United Nations Children’s Fund with the collaboration of the Aurat Foundation.

Aid workers, government officials and members of the judiciary attended the workshop.

“Our main focus was on how the UNHCR and Unicef can ensure the protection, survival and development of the child with the cooperation of non-governmental orginazations, local authorities and officials of the judiciary and the community,” said Jane Francis Naakaayi, community services officer, the UNHCR, Quetta.

She urged the participants to make efforts for making the refugee and host communities more aware regarding their obligations towards a better upbringing of their children.

She said the UN agencies had signed a letter of understanding, specifying the areas of collaboration for helping the refugees, including protection and promotion of the rights of children and women, support to unaccompanied children, promotion of psychosocial wellbeing, basic education, health activities, water and sanitation.

“In the refugee camps, children can be exposed to far greater difficulties and protection issues due to the vulnerability of the situation,” said Salma Jaffer of Unicef.

She said it was the responsibility of all the relevant sections to create opportunities for children to go to schools.

Judicial magistrate Syed Haroon said the implementation of state laws regarding child rights was necessary to make sure that they were respected and no deviation was made.

“Lobbying for effective laws by the NGOs can help in preserving the children’s rights to protection, food, education and against exploitation,” he said.

Aurat Foundation Director Younas Khalid said 191 countries, including Pakistan and Afghanistan, had ratified the convention.

“The convention’s implementation needs close follow up by the stakeholders working in this jurisdiction,” he said.

Ms Naakaayi underlined the need for the implementation of the convention and said the laws pertaining to the rights of the children should be respected.

She said commitment to the protection of children should be reflected by the decisions of the policy makers and in budget allocations.