‘Every individual must protect the rights of children’

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Social Welfare & Women Development, Sitara Ayaz has urged the civil society to play an active role for the welfare and protection of children.

“Every individual in the society must protect the rights of children,” she said while addressing the participants of a seminar on the ‘Recommended Minimum Standards of Care for Children Living in Alternative Care Homes’. The event was organised by the Legal Aid Cell (Child Rights Unit) at a local hotel in Peshawar on Friday.

Sitara said that the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) is making serious effort for protecting women and children’s rights. “For the first time in the history of this province, the Child Protection Bill was passed unanimously by the Assembly which has now been implemented in the form of an Act. A commission has been constituted in this regard and recently a Child Protection Bureau has also been established at Peshawar while more units will be established in other districts of the province soon,” she said.

The minister said that street child, taken into custody by the government will be handed over to their parents or relatives through court after an undertaking is given about the provision of good care and support.

She said that the Rehbar Toll Free service has also been started by the government in districts Peshawar, Swabi and Mardan where people could easily lodge their complaints relating to child labour, child abuse and other problems faced by the children.

“A large numbers of children have been affected by the floods and terrorism in the province and a survey is in the progress to assess the damage. It is our government’s top most priority to compensate the affected,” she added.

She maintained that the provincial government will establish international standard orphanages where needed so that children are able to become worthy members of the society and contribute to national development.

Programme Officer AGHS (Child Rights Unit) Qudsia Majeed, SOS villages KP Chairperson Mrs. Khola Mustafa and Professor Javed Hussein also addressed on the occasion.