ISLAMABAD: Justice Project Pakistan (JPP), in collaboration with the national commission for human rights (NCHR), group development Pakistan (GDP), the legal aid and justice authority (LAJA), and the parliamentarians’ commission on human rights (PCHR), hosted a live screening of Pakistan’s review before the united nations committee on the rights of the child.
The screening gathered journalists, diplomats, civil society organizations, child rights advocates, academics, and policy practitioners to observe Pakistan’s interactive dialogue with the UN Committee in real time.
Participants engaged in discussions about the questions raised by Committee members and the responses from the State delegation, sharing insights through informal conversations and live tweets during the event.
Executive Director of PCHR, Shafique Chaudhry, while opening the event, remarked that Pakistan’s review under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is a critical moment of accountability.
Our Constitution already reflects the core principles of the Convention; the challenge before us is to translate these guarantees into consistent protection for every child.
Child rights expert Valerie Khan emphasized, This is not only an opportunity to hold the state accountable, but also to examine other institutions, including the judiciary, executive, and legislature.
It is about developing a clear roadmap to ensure the effective enforcement of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Pakistan ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1990 and is thus obligated to align its laws, policies, and practices with the Convention.
This review follows Pakistan’s submission of its combined sixth and seventh periodic reports and comes at a crucial time, considering the ongoing challenges facing children across various sectors.
During the event, Mr. Adil Anwar, Director General of the Legal Aid and Justice Authority (LAJA), highlighted the significance of incorporating child rights within Pakistan’s justice system.
He also announced that new rules have been enacted under the Legal Aid and Justice Act, which will help operationalize the authority.
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