PESHAWAR, Nov 16: The Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (Sparc) has asked the government to pass the proposed Child Protection Bill 2005 to save children from abuses.

It also expressed concern over the non-implementation of the Juvenile Justice System Ordinance 2000 and asked for its enforcement in letter and spirit to provide protection to the children undergoing judicial trials and being jailed.

"We ask the government to ensure the implementation of the laws concerning child's rights, because Pakistan being a signatory to the UN Conventions of Child Rights, is bound to make legislation ensuring child protection from all forms of abuses," said, the society’s regional manager.

Speaking at a workshop here on Thursday, he said that lawmakers were required to make efforts for protection of children against social, psychological, mental and sexual abuses. The event was attended by several members of the provincial assembly, who vowed to make efforts for laws aiming to protect the rights of the child.

The bill, he said, should provide for minimum age of criminal liability, prohibition of corporal punishment, criminalisation, sexual abuse, violence, exploitation of children, prohibition of practices harmful to children and creation of protective environment and help children requiring medical aid.

Citing the UN Conventions on the Rights of the Child, he said that the children needed to be protected against physical and sexual abuses or exploitation. They should not be regarded as insignificant and not be discriminated against for any reason, he added.

The law, he said should incorporate clauses that could give the right of speech and opinion to the children besides making the government bound to take measures aiming at wellbeing of the children. He said that the street children were at the razor's edge in the prevalent circumstances and asked the government to make law to protect them

He said that it was matter of grave concern that JJSO 2000 remained far from being implemented despite five years. As a result, he said that juvenile prisoners suffered a great deal.