The Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights on Tuesday approved the Child Protection Bill 2017 which will prevent children under the age of 18 from working.

Under the new bill, which was approved during a session of the committee chaired by PML-N MNA Babar Nawaz, parents will be restricted from making their children beg on the streets.

A new welfare fund will also be set up and orphaned children will be registered. The operations of institutions working for child protection will be appraised and child protection officers will be appointed under the bill.

There are 13,000 street children in Islamabad, Director General Ministry of Human Rights Mohammad Hassan Mangi told DawnNews.