Latest news with #ChildProtectionandWelfareBureau
Gulf Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- Gulf Today
Pakistan's Punjab province approves landmark child protection policy
Gulf Today Report In a historic move that underscores an unwavering commitment to children's rights, the Punjab cabinet has officially approved the province's first-ever Comprehensive Child Protection Policy. Developed by the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau with technical support from Unicef Pakistan, this policy represents a pivotal step toward ensuring a safer, more just, and nurturing environment for every child in Punjab. The policy sets a new benchmark for child welfare in Pakistan and reflects the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Punjab,Maryam Nawaz, whose steadfast focus on child protection has been instrumental in this achievement. Chairperson of the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau, Sarah Ahmad, expressed heartfelt gratitude on the occasion: 'I extend my sincere thanks to Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for her unwavering dedication and leadership in championing the rights of our children. The approval of this policy is more than a government decision—it is a beacon of hope, a transformative milestone that strengthens our resolve to protect and empower children across the province.' She further added: The newly approved Child Protection Policy of Punjab lays the foundation for a robust and integrated child protection system across the province. It is designed to safeguard all children from abuse, violence, neglect, exploitation, and harmful practices, ensuring their safety and dignity. Anchored in both the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the Constitution of Pakistan, the policy reflects international standards and national legal frameworks. A core strength of the policy lies in its emphasis on multi-sectoral collaboration, bringing together families, schools, communities, and government departments to form a united front in the protection of children. It establishes clear rules, procedures, and services to respond effectively to child protection concerns and seeks to strengthen both legal and social systems for sustained impact. To build a capable support system, the policy includes provisions for the professional training of social service workers, enabling them to respond to the needs of vulnerable children with skill and sensitivity. Furthermore, it introduces a digital Case Management and Referral System (CP-CMRS), which will help track individual cases and ensure timely interventions. Alongside this, a centralised Management Information System (MIS) will facilitate data collection, inter-agency coordination, and effective follow-ups. Lastly, the policy establishes strong mechanisms for provincial and district-level coordination, with a focus on regular monitoring, transparent reporting, and accountability.
Daily News Egypt
2 days ago
- Politics
- Daily News Egypt
Punjab Province in Pakistan approves first Child Protection Policy
Pakistan's Punjab Cabinet on Tuesday approved the province's first Comprehensive Child Protection Policy, a measure developed to enhance the safety and well-being of children in the region. The policy was formulated by the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau with technical support from UNICEF state it aims to establish a safer, more just, and nurturing environment for every child in Punjab. The policy's creation has been linked by the Bureau to the focus of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on child protection. Sarah Ahmad, Chairperson of the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau, expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for her leadership in relation to children's rights. She said the approval of this policy is more than a government decision—it is a beacon of hope, a transformative milestone that strengthens our resolve to protect and empower children across the province. Ahmad further added: 'The newly approved Child Protection Policy of Punjab lays the foundation for a robust and integrated child protection system across the province. It is designed to safeguard all children from abuse, violence, neglect, exploitation, and harmful practices, ensuring their safety and dignity. Anchored in both the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the Constitution of Pakistan, the policy reflects international standards and national legal frameworks.' The policy emphasises multi-sectoral collaboration, bringing together families, schools, communities, and government departments to address child protection. It seeks to establish clear rules, procedures, and services to respond effectively to child protection concerns and aims to strengthen both legal and social systems. To support its implementation, the policy includes provisions for the professional training of social service workers, enabling them to respond to the needs of vulnerable children. Furthermore, it introduces a digital Case Management and Referral System (CP-CMRS) to help track individual cases and support timely interventions. A centralised Management Information System (MIS) will also be utilised to facilitate data collection, inter-agency coordination, and effective follow-ups.
Express Tribune
4 days ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
Punjab gets first Child Protection Policy
The Punjab cabinet has approved the province's first-ever comprehensive Child Protection Policy. This policy developed by the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau with technical support from UNICEF Pakistan was described as a new benchmark for child welfare, marking a transformative step toward ending violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect against children in the communities. The policy, according to the CPWB chairperson, serves as a comprehensive roadmap for child protection mechanisms across Punjab. It is the culmination of efforts that began over two years ago with the submission of the draft to the home department. Case management activities under the policy framework have been underway for over a year. Chairing the cabinet meeting that took up 101 agenda items, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif also announced a plan to reduce the power tariffs in order to provide maximum relief to the people. This is the second time that a province was fiddling with electricity tariffs that originally is a federal subject. Once implemented, Punjab will became the first province to voluntarily reduce electricity tariffs. The chief minister approved reduction in the tariffs of Punjab's power companies. On the direction of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, the tariffs may be reduced by 30 to 40 per cent. The provincial cabinet approved the reduction in tariffs of the Quaid-i-Azam and Punjab Thermal Power Private Limited. To address the grievances of the provinces estranged farmers, the chief minister said that a huge package is going to be given to the wheat growers. It was informed in the meeting that the payment of Rs5,000 per acre subsidy has been completed to 514,000 wheat farmers. The payment will be made after the verification process of another 500,000 farmers is completed. Al allocation of Rs63 billion was provided in the second phase through the Kisan Card and farmers have purchased fertilizer worth Rs18 billion. The cabinet approved the Chief Minister Wheat Programme 2025. Continuing with the tradition the provincial PML-N government of creating layers upon layers of companies and authorities, the cabinet approved the establishment of the Air Punjab Private Limited Company. The CM set a target of launching the Air Punjab within a year. She ordered immediate steps for closing vaping centres in the province. She also directed the authorities to ensure safety gear for labourers and assigned the labour department a target of implementing safety SOPs for workers within a month. The provincial cabinet approved ration cards for workers and miners registered with the labour department and provision of electric buses in nine divisions of Punjab. The CM issued directives to establish charging stations in all major cities as soon as possible. Eco-tourism project were approved for Changa Manga and Lal Sohanra parks.
Business Recorder
4 days ago
- General
- Business Recorder
Cabinet gives its nod to ‘Child Protection Policy'
LAHORE: In a significant move, the Punjab Cabinet has accorded approval to the province first-ever 'Child Protection Policy,' developed by the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau with technical support from Unicef Pakistan. This milestone sets a new benchmark for child welfare in Pakistan and reflects Punjab's unwavering commitment to securing a safe, nurturing, and just environment for every child. Expressing profound gratitude, Chairperson Sarah Ahmad said, 'I extend my heartfelt thanks to Chief Minister Punjab, Honourable Maryam Nawaz, for her steadfast dedication and leadership in championing the cause of children. The approval of this policy by the Punjab Cabinet is not just a policy decision it is a beacon of hope and a historic milestone for the protection and empowerment of our children.' Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Children's voices missing from Pakistan's child rights policy: experts
Listen to article 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.
