NCRC, stakeholders hold joint consultation to address rising cases of child rights abuse.

ISLAMABAD -- National Commission on the Rights of Child (NCRC) on Monday held a joint consultation with stakeholders to introduce practical amendments into the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Child Protection Welfare Act and to address the rising cases of child rights abuse in the province.

A statement released here said that a joint consultation organised by the Government of Pakistan, National Commission on the Rights of Child (NCRC), Provincial Assembly, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Social Welfare Department, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, was held on KP Legislative Reforms to develop an understanding and consensus among key stakeholders to introduce legislative reforms in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through amendments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Child Protection Welfare Act, 2010. The reason behind this consultation is to address the rising cases of child rights abuses in KP through a more comprehensive understanding of the issues and solutions.

The purpose of this consultation was to introduce practical amendments into the KP Child Protection Welfare Act, 2010 to ensure institutional clarity of roles and functions between KP Commission and Social Welfare Department as well as to empower KP Commission being quasi-judicial body with a function of oversight and monitoring, and power to inquire and investigate violations of child rights to protection, redress complaints of victims including power to summon persons or records.

In addition, the objective was also to empower Social Welfare Department KP as an implementing body with a function to establish a coordinated child protection case management and referral system to respond to all forms of child abuse in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and to align it with the Pakistan's Constitution and other provisions of applicable criminal laws on violence, abuse, and exploitation...