ISLAMABAD, Jan 9: The select commitee of the National Assembly has approved the Charter of Child Rights Bill 2010 aimed at protecting and promoting the fundamental rights of children in Pakistan.

Drafted by Member National Assembly (MNA) Dr Attiya Inayatullah, the bill seeks to bring the country in line with the international charters and treaties it is signatory of.

These treaties and charters like the Convention on the Rights of the Child 'make it obligatory upon the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to make legislation to create an environment which is free of violence, abuse and exploitation for the children of Pakistan, explained Anusha Rehman Khan, MNA and senior vicepresident of the PML-N.

Under this charter, a body called the National Commission for the Rights of Children (NCRC) will be established under the Human Rights Commission which will have a two-fold responsibility.

The NCRC will define rules and regulations to define the various rights of children including the right to life, education, parental care, right against abuse, for juvenile justice etc.

It will then ensure implementation of Charter of Child Rights in Islamabad capitalterritory as per the rules defined by it.

Furthermore, it will be responsible for communicating the appropriate rules and SOPs to relevant departments and authorities so they can be applied.

Ms Anusha also explained that since devolution the jurisdiction of the federal government had been restricted to the Islamabad capital territory, however, this did not mean that the federal government had no obligations towards the provinces.

'A mechanism needed to be established through which the federal government can communicate national obligations to the provinces,' she said, adding: 'The charter is a standard-setting instrument to provide uniformity across the country so every child has a minimum right which protects him from abuse, violence and exploitation.

As such, the role of NCRC will also be to serve as the focal point for facilitating, coordinating and reporting all child related international commitments to the provinces.

The hope is that this will encourage the provinces to establish similar bodies on the provincial level and legislate their own charters using the broad guidelines developed at the federal level. -Apesha Shahid