KARACHI, May 20: The Sindh Commission for Child Welfare and Development reviewed the draft bill of the Sindh Child Protection Authority 2005 aimed at monitoring the implementation of laws formulated over the years for the protection of children rights at Sindh level.
Mannan Rana, Project Officer (Child Protection) - UNICEF, Sindh reminded that there were no less than 20 different laws in Sindh linked only to the protection of child rights. Besides, there were 78 other legal edicts introduced by the federal government covering safety, security and protection of children.
The conceived bill, equally focussing on legal and social aspects of child rights protection is an attempt to have provision of a watch dog that could prevent violation of child rights through pre-emptive measures, he said.
Moreover, Pakistan being a signatory of the Child Rights Convention also requires it to come forward with regular reports and data related to child status, presenting the same before the UN after every five years, Rana informed.
Barrister Zafarullah Khan of Jurisconsults, presenting draft of the bill prepared by him, said all above-mentioned pieces of legislation were thoroughly studied and lacunae in them were identified while factors hampering efficient implementation of these codes were also taken into consideration.
Through the conceived bill, an attempt has been made to evolve a high-powered authority that could ensure strict vigil on the implementation of all relevant laws, he said.
He added that the authority could not only take suo moto notice of any instance of child rights violation, but must also hold power to investigate relevant complaints registered before it by any citizen, group of citizens, body and so-forth.
The high-powered authority recommended to be headed by the Sindh chief minister may also ask concerned department(s) to probe relevant instances, put forward report containing actual facts besides taking urgent and relevant action to helping redress the grievance of children.
Since the Child Protection Authority would particularly focus on ‘Children in Need of Special Protection Measures’, including those without primary care hence the former would ensure that a standardized mechanism is developed for all orphanages and centres providing shelter or contributing to the rehabilitation of these kids across the province.
Children, who may be victims of violence, abuse and exploitations; subjected to physical and psychological violence, and sexual abuse; forced into worst forms of child labour, exploitative labour or beggary; subjected to human trafficking within and outside Pakistan; being misused for drug trafficking; is subjected to abuse of substances such as glue, drugs, spirits; engaged in armed conflicts or in conflict with law; affected with HIV/AIDS, would be particularly covered under the Sindh Child Protection Authority Bill, expected to be adopted during the current year.
The meeting chaired by Syed Anwar Haider, the chief secretary for Sindh Social Welfare Department, was also informed that the Sindh Child Protection Authority would focus on maximum coordination between various government departments, and between government and NGOs engaged in protection, and rehabilitation of children usurped of their rights under one or the other pretext.
Senior officials from Home, Law, Zakat, Social Welfare departments, the Sindh Advocate General Office, Director of Pakistan Baitul Mal, Magistrate of Judicial Complex, Juvenile Jail - Karachi, besides representatives from UNICEF, Citizen Police Liaison Committee, Sindh Journalists Network, LHRLA, attended the meeting and extensively discussed the draft of the bill.—APP