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Summary Pakistan ratified UNCRC which provides broader outlines for promotion and protection of child right.
Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC) organised a group discussion to discuss inter departmental coordination, , capacity of provinces and lacunas in child related laws in the post 18th amendment scenario and responsibilities of provincial governments.SPARC National Manager Iqbal Detho said that Pakistan ratified United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) on November 12, 1990 which provides broader outlines for the promotion and protection of child rights. A major shift has been brought in the arena of child rights by the 18th constitutional amendment. The major reform is the abolishment of the concurrent legislative list in result of which a number of federal ministries, divisions and departments have been eliminated and the subjects they were dealing with has been devolved to the provinces.SPARC Regional Manager Sajjad Cheema said the Punjab government always remained at the forefront of legislative and administrative initiatives on child protection and child rights. However the progress in establishing district child protection units and initiating legislation on a number of child right issues has remained stalled since decades.Mr Rashad Aziz said that no Rules have been notified under the Punjab Destitute and Neglected Children Act (Amendment) 2007 together with the functioning of child protection institutions void of any minimum care standards. In the province of Punjab there is no legislation to prohibit corporal punishment except an executive order. In 2010 the draft bill on prohibition of Corporal Punishment was first introduced in National Assembly but after devolution it became the responsibility of provincial assembly and no steps have been taken to make it into law. According to Department of Law and Parliamentary Affairs of Punjab the bill falls under the domain of criminal laws thereby making it responsibility of the federal government, he said.The participants urged Punjab government to make legislation in accordance with article 25(A), and also demand uniform education system, allocate funds for free legal aid and establish juvenile courts.
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