Why a Provincial Commission for the Protection of the Rights of Children

November 12, 1990 Pakistan ratified United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Children (UNCRC) which also know as the children's 'Magna Carta  (Every person below the age of 18 years is a child according to UNCRC). Every Government that has ratified the UNCRC has to report the United Nations how well they are respecting children and young people’s rights in their country every five years, so it makes obligatory to every signatory  state to take all appropriate legislative and administrative measures for the best interest of child and to ensure the implementation on the convention.

After 18^th amendment , the given provincial autonomy has made the issues of child rights a provincial issue, But unfortunately our provincial system is ill-resourced and ill-equipped. Provincial Governments have not strong mechanism to ensure the rights of the children.

So, it makes pertinent for the provincial Governments to set up independent “Provincial Commissions on the Rights of the Children” with an authority to investigate the cases of abuse, violence against children, all the violation of fundamental rights of children and monitor the implementation of the UNCRC. Additionally, such an independent body should also devise strategies to promote and raise awareness about child rights.

 

The United Nation’s Committee on the Rights of the child, in its Concluding Observations to Pakistan in 2009, recommended for the establishment 'of an independent monitoring structure with a mandate to regularly evaluate progress on the implementation of the Convention'.

The need for establishing such a body became more important following the UN Committee's General Comment No.2 of 2002 on the role of independent human rights institutions for  the promotion and protection of the rights of the child.

  An independent provincial body to ensure the protection of the rights of children

Such an action will reaffirm the commitment of the Government to fulfill its constitutional obligations and to the international standards on the Status of Human Rights Institutions expressed in the Paris Principles and its international obligations under the UNCRC.

Punjab is biggest province of Pakistan in terms of population and we get daily news related to child abuse different forms of exploitation of children, violance on the children despite of the fact many cases go un reported, but here is no system  available at federal, provincial, district and local level, There are a number of laws related to children such as Child Marriages Restraint Act 1929; The Employment of Children Act 1991; The Juvenile Justice System Ordinance 2000 Same like, there are provincial laws i.e. The Punjab Compulsory Primary Education Act 1994; The Destitute and Neglected Children Act 2004, The Employment of Children Amendment Act 2011etc.However; still there are no mechanisms or cernteralized coordination body for the implementation on these; So Punjab should take immidiate measure for the formation/constitution of an independent commission.Its not a new thing, KP has already taken lead on it, our neighbouring countries  and other asian countries  in the region have also  the examples and models of child right commissions and authorities.
It is the demand of Child Rights Movement-Punjab since long time and we urge Punjab Government to take the legislative measures for the setting up of an independent commission on the rights of children.