ISLAMABAD, Nov 18: The National Plan of Action (NPA) and National Child Policy (NCF) will be based on the needs of children of belonging to all the socio-economic classes, regions and areas of the country.

This was stated by women development ministry secretary Parveen Qadir Agha, while explaining the process of consultations on NCF and NPA, here on Monday.

She said to give due consideration to problems faced by the children in different areas, a process of national consultations had been initiated by the ministry.

In this process, expert groups have started consultation workshops all over the country. Two workshop have already been held in Northern Areas and the AJK in October. Some five more workshops will take place during the next month in each of the provincial capitals and in Islamabad.

Mrs Agha said in each of the consultative workshops, representatives of all the stakeholders are invited. Provincial governments, NGOs and international donors are being given appropriate weightage to identify the needs of children in proper perspective and recommend realistic solutions to secure a safe and healthy future for them.

She said all the areas of concern like health, education, trafficking of children, labour, street children and specific issues of girl child were being studied to evolve a plan of action and policy capable of solving the problems of children and maximizing the availability of services for them.

The secretary said with the National Plan of Action, provincial and district plans of action would be chalked out for children.

A National Experts Committee has also been formed in this respect. The first meeting of the committee on National Plan of Action (NPA) for Children was held on October 16 in Islamabad. It was presided over by Parveen Qadir Agha.

In the meeting, the national coordinator for Follow Up Unit (FUU) of National Commission For Child Welfare and Development (NCCWD), Asad Sambal, had briefed the members on the progress made at the federal level for preparation of National Child Policy and National Plan of Action.

Naeemuddin Mian, a consultant, had given presentation on the process for preparation of plans of action for children at the national as well as provincial and district levels. The meeting had also discussed programme for holding regional workshops for consultations on NCP and NPA.

A special media group was also set up for the coverage of NCP and NPA and sensitization of public on issues pertaining to children.