PESHAWAR, April 16: The local government minister, Sardar Mohammad Idrees, has said that the government has pinned great hopes on the local bodies regarding their role in the protection of children’s right and birth registration of the infants.

Speaking as chief guest at the inaugural session of a two-day training workshop on “ Child Rights and Birth Registration” organized by Plan Pakistan and Local Government, Elections & Rural Development Department at a local hotel on Wednesday.

He lauded the efforts of Plan Pakistan for launching a pilot project on birth registration in four districts of the province including, Abbottabad, Mardan, Nowshera and Swabi.

The NWFP, he said was the only province in Pakistan to have launched birth registration pilot project.

“Let me tell you that Islam has emphasised on all these rights of the children 1400 years ago and has highlighted the responsibility of parents and societies towards children”, said he.

Dr Purnima, country director of Plan Pakistan elaborated the role Plan International was playing in 74 countries across the globe in children-related activities. She said that Plan International commenced its operations in Pakistan in 1996 and now was working in collaboration with communities in districts of Chakwal, Mansehra, Rawalpindi and Vehari apart from a relief unit at Chaman for Afghan children and a pilot project on birth registration in Abbottabad, Mardan, Nowshera and Swabi.

Dr Purnima said that the main domain of Plan’s activities included health, environment, education, gender equality and community participation.