PESHAWAR, Jan 18: A social networking group was formed here on Thursday for more coordinated efforts for promotion and protection of child rights in NWFP. The group comprises government officials and representatives of non-governmental organisations, lawyers, teachers and media persons.

Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (Sparc), an NGO, took the initiative here at a one-day coordination and networking meeting and urged for coordinated efforts and developing a referral system among different groups from society for the promotion and protection of the rights of the child.

The participants of the meeting discussed in detail the hurdles in their respective fields in promotion and protection of the children's rights.

Speakers called for creating public awareness about children’s rights. They said that rights groups should inform people about child rights and issues with the help of print and electronic media.

Zahoor Khan, director provincial labour department, said that although the provincial government had allocated Rs1.9 million for conducting a study on child labour but due to socio-cultural constraints in the Frontier province, the study could not be conducted.

He also discussed the labour department efforts, resistance of employers and even parents of child labourers which his staff faced in eliminating child labour.

Social welfare department officials also stressed the need for bringing the Vagrancy Ordinance in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) to tackle with the issue of child beggars.

Some of the participants suggested that the Baitul Maal department should use its funds for releasing those children and women who had completed their terms but due to non-payment of fines, they were still behind bars.