Children's voices missing from Pakistan's child rights policy: experts

Express Tribune

29-05-2025

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In Pakistan, children's voices are often absent from the policymaking process on child rights, with decisions typically shaped by experts, policymakers, and activists.
This adult-centric approach, experts warn, fails to reflect the lived experiences and needs of children, undermining both the relevance and effectiveness of policies intended to protect them.
'When policies are designed solely from an adult perspective, they often don't align with children's age, interests, and needs,' said a child rights expert. 'This results in low engagement and weak implementation.'
However, promising signs of change are emerging. A notable example is 16-year-old Abihah Batool, a student from Lahore and an active member of a child forum.
She recently represented Pakistan at the United Nations' Annual Child Rights Convention in Geneva, where she advocated for a comprehensive social protection programme for children.
She has also met with the Punjab Minister for Human Rights, the Chairperson of the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau, and a member of the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) to present a charter of demands developed by children.
'From schools to national consultations and even global platforms, children in Pakistan have shown they can speak with insight, sincerity, and moral courage—if only they are given the chance,' said Abihah. She emphasized that social stigma, institutional weaknesses, and tokenistic inclusion continue to obstruct meaningful child participation.
Ayesha Raza Khan, Chairperson of the National Commission on the Rights of the Child (NCRC), shared that Pakistan is leading the way in the South Asian region by including two children as members of the commission.
'We've also established a Child Advisory Panel with representation from across the country,' she noted. 'It is crucial that when we talk about child protection and rights, we start by listening to children themselves.
Their perspectives must be taken seriously.' She pointed to a recent Supreme Court case on child custody as a landmark, where, for the first time, the court sought the children's preferences about which parent they wished to live with after separation.
Iftikhar Mubarak, Executive Director of Search for Justice, highlighted Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which guarantees every child the right to express their views on matters affecting them and to have those views taken seriously.
'This means creating safe, inclusive, and effective platforms where children can speak on critical issues such as education, violence, environmental change, gender equality, and mental health.'
Despite these developments, child protection institutions across Pakistan— including in Punjab—remain dominated by adult professionals, with little or no representation of children themselves.
Experts argue that this exclusion not only hinders children's development in confidence, leadership, and civic responsibility but also conceals serious issues like sexual abuse and domestic violence.
"When children are excluded from shaping the policies that impact them, they feel alienated from society, which can lead to long-term inequality," experts warn.
They urge policymakers to ensure meaningful inclusion of children as a foundational principle for building effective, inclusive, and sustainable child protection frameworks.