LAHORE: Participants in a consultation were of the view that the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) would finalise its four-year strategic plan in January.

NCHR in collaboration with European Union-funded Huqooq-i-Pakistan Project (HeP) held a civil society consultation on Friday for devising a strategic plan.

NCHR Chairperson Rabiya Javeri Agha and HeP senior expert Dr Osama Siddique presided over the consultation about the state of human rights in Pakistan and engaged participants about their level of awareness about NCHR’s role and mandate.

A discussion was also held with the participants on NCHR functions and ways of effective collaboration between the commission and human rights stakeholders, especially the general public.

The commission plans to hold similar consultative sessions in other provincial capitals in order to gather information and recommendations from all parts of the country.

The NCHR chairperson said opinions and recommendations coming out from these consultations would be taken into account while preparing NCHR’s strategic plan and determining next steps for the commission.

She said the commission was broadly mandated to engage with civil society organisations to work towards a common goal of protecting human rights without discrimination.

Dr Siddique said developing the commission’s strategic plan through consultations with civil society and the government across Pakistan would ensure diverse perspectives of the plan for the coming years.

He said human rights was a complex cross cutting area and was incredibly important that there should be greater synergies and cooperation between all those who stand as custodians of human rights.

NCHR Punjab Member Nadeem Ashraf stressed for collective effort to protect and promote human rights in the country.

“There are many seasoned and experienced people present at the consultation and their input is very valuable to the commission. The efforts civil society is putting in will bear more fruit in terms of being presented at the policy-making level if we work collectively,” he said.

The participants shared a broad range of opinions to devise a pragmatic strategic plan for NCHR.

They suggested the commission take measures for better connection at the grassroots and ensure access of the general public to the commission.

Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2022