KARACHI: Caretaker Sindh Chief Minister retired Justice Maqbool Baqar on Monday reaffirmed that every child had the right to grow, learn, play and flourish in a safe, responsive and friendly environment, free of distress, hunger, fear and oppression.

He stated this while speaking at a World Children’s Day programme organised by the school education department in collaboration with Unicef Pakistan at a local hotel.

Several events to mark World Children’s Day were held across the province, including a Children Literature Festival in Hyderabad, and many others in the metropolis.

Speaking on the occasion, the CM said that World Children’s Day was a day to celebrate children in our lives, stand up for their rights and giving them a chance to speak out on the biggest challenges they face.

Baqar says his govt undertook institutional, legal measures to eliminate exploitation of children; World Children’s Day celebrated across province

He added that the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) was an international human rights agreement that outlined the specific rights that children and young people could claim.

Justice Baqar said that as a party to the CRC and its two optional protocols, the federal government was committed to upholding the promotion and protection of the human rights of all children and fulfilling its national and international obligations in that regard.

“On World Children’s Day, my government reaffirms the right of every child to grow, in a safe, free of distress, hunger, fear and oppression,” he said.

“The Sindh government is determinedly striving and making every effort to ensure that children have access to and enjoy their rights particularly birth registration, access to education, nutrition and healthcare, clean drinking water and sanitation, dignity, security, and all other rights as envisaged in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child,” he said.

He disclosed that the Sindh government had undertaken a range of institutional and legal measures to eliminate the exploitation of children and their discrimination based on gender, religion, and ethnicity.

He appreciated Unicef and other partners and the education department working collaboratively for the full realisation of child rights.

Education Minister Rana Hussain, School Education Secretary Dr Shireen Narejo and the Unicef representatives also spoke.

Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2023