LAHORE: Civil society representatives along with those of the government departments and parliamentarians, in a consultation on Thursday, agreed on the drafting of a proper child protection policy to address the issues of violence against children.

The Child Rights Movement (Punjab), Search for Justice and Child Protection & Welfare Bureau (CPWB) participated in the session held at a local hotel.

Atif Adnan advocate called for separate courts for such children’s cases for speedy justice. A separate place for preparation/understanding of examination in chief and cross-examination should also be provided to the prosecutors while prosecution department must appoint experts for the child sexual abuse cases, he said and demanded that more female staff should be recruited and investigation into cases of rape/sodomy with minors should be entrusted to them.

Imran Kishwar, AIG Gender Crimes Punjab Police, assured the participants of his support to develop a coordination mechanism among government departments to deal with the violence against children.

Iftikhar Mubarik advocate highlighted that Pakistan was obligated under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child whose article 19 (1) clearly described that state parties must take all the legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to protect children from all forms of physical or mental violence. He regretted that since 2014 a draft of child protection policy was still pending at the Planning & Development Department.

MPA Mary Gill said Article 25 (2) of the Constitution clearly says that “nothing in this Article shall prevent the State from making any special provision for the protection of women and children”.

MPA Dr Nausheen Hamid and Kiran Khursheed, director general Child Protection and Welfare Bureau, also spoke.

Published in Dawn, September 29th, 2017