ISLAMABAD: The government should start making rules of business for the four bills it has passed to address children-related issues and ensure the allocation of budgets or there will be no benefit of passing the bills, said representatives of the Child Rights Movement (CRM) on Friday.

A representative body of 450 non-government organisations, CRM hosted a press conference at the National Press Club to discuss the progress being made in relation to children related issues. Media persons were told that progress was made on bills such as the ICT Child Protection Bill 2017, The Prohibition of Corporal Punishment Bill 2017, National Commission on Child Rights Bill 2017 and the Juvenile Justice System Bill, 2017.

During the press conference, head of the NGO UGOOD Syed Ishtiaqul Hassan Gilani said the National Commission on Child Rights Bill was pending since 2009 and had been finally been passed by the Senate and had reached the National Assembly.

CRM representatives say the new laws will not be of benefit if rules of business are not made

“Unfortunately we have a trend of laws being made but not implemented such as the Right to Education Bill, which ensures education for all children between the ages of five and 16 which has been passed but could not be implemented. We suggest that rules of business should be made and the implementation of laws should be ensured,” he said.

“There are separate ministries for children in India, Nepal and other countries but we don’t have one in Pakistan. The Child Rights Commission will fill that gap and there will also be representation of children in the commission,” he said.

CRM National Coordinator Alishba Yousuf said child rights is an unfinished agenda in Pakistan and the country has a long way to go to ensure that all children in the country get their rights in accordance with the Constitution.

“National laws and international obligations should be implemented. Pakistan is party to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and many other UN and International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions,” she said.

Rights activist Habiba Salman also urged the government to immediately notify the rules of business for the ICT Child Protection Bill, 2017 which will ensure that it is effectively implemented.

“The Employment of Children Act 1991 of Pakistan should be amended as it does not prohibit or regulate child employment. Child domestic labour should be acknowledged as the worst form of labour and modern slavery as marked by ILO conventions,” she said.

A representative from the NGO Sahil, Mumtaz Gohar said he welcomes the Prohibition of Corporal Punishment Bill, 2017 and urged the government to notify its rules of business as well.

“The act only covers corporal punishment in schools and education settings. It must be extended in homes and places of work as well. Pakistan is one of the 50 states around the world where, to some extent, violence is overlooked,” he said.

Sparc Manager Research Farshad Iqbal said the Juvenile Justice System Bill, 2017 should be made public for raising awareness. It should be mandatory for the police and judicial officers to determine age before starting a trial.

Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2017