ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on Saturday said safeguarding rights of children as enshrined in the Constitution was the priority of the Parliament.

He pledged to protect each and every child of Pakistan as the bright future of the country was linked with their secure present.

He expressed these views on the occasion of World’s Children Day which was celebrated on Nov 20 each year across the world.

The NA speaker said lives of more than 16 million children were devastated by flash floods.

He said they were deprived of basic facilities, especially health and education sector were worst affected. He said efforts were being made to rehabilitate these children.

Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf also stressed the need for eliminating child labour, harassment, bonded labour and elimination of menace of child trafficking.

He also said that provision of equal opportunities to all children was vital to ensuring bright future of the country.

Prioritising children had been the special concern of the National Assembly as the first ever children’s assembly session was held on the occasion of Diamond Jubilee Celebration in Parliament House.

In this session the children from each segment of society participated and they presented resolution in the House.

Subsequently, National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf constituted the first Parliamentary Caucus for Child Rights in National Assembly with the objective of legislating for provision of basic rights to each and every child.

The basic objectives of Parliamentary Caucus on Child Rights include Child - Centered legislation, advocacy and Oversight, and strengthening National Commission on Child Rights.

A unanimous resolution presented by Convener of Parliamentary Caucus on child rights was passed during the session of National Assembly on Nov 18.

While realising the challenges faced by children, the House pledged to ensure provision of basic rights, elimination of child labour, access to equal opportunities, and above all focusing child centric legislation.

Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2022