Islamabad, imrana komal

Every year 10th December is marked as International Day on Human Rights. Human rights are the basic rights and freedom that belong to every person in the world, from birth until death. They apply regardless of where you are from, what you believe or how you choose to live your life. The aim of this day is to promote inclusion of every human, regardless of their age, cast, religion, race, disability or any other factor, into the mainstream of the society with all their rights and dignity.

Pakistan faces challenges on human rights at many levels, where women and children are affected the most. The biggest example of human rights violation at a child level is not providing them with basic education. As per the assertion of a report, Pakistan has the world’s second-highest number of out-of-school children, counting 22.8 million children between the ages of 5 and 16, and representing 44 percent of children not attending schools. The fundamental education of every child for this age bracket was clearly asserted in Article 25A of the Constitution. Comparing the four provinces of Pakistan, Balochistan is performing the worst, with 44 percent of the total. Being out of school at an earlier age causes many prejudicial outcomes to the children and one evidence is that most of these children are engaged in labour at different workplaces like shops, garages, while others are involved in begging on the streets. During the years a lot of laws have been developed but there is no functional child protection system.

The National Commission on the Rights of Child (NCRC) is an institution which is overseeing child rights violations in Pakistan and recommends amendments for better practices and effective implementation of child laws. The Federal Government constituted the National Commission on the Rights of Child in exercise of powers conferred by Section 3(1) of the National Commission on the Rights of Child Act, 2017 (XXXII of 2017) under a notification issued on February 28, 2020.

Highlighting the importance of this day on Human Rights, Ms. Afshan Tehseen, the Chairperson NCRC stressed that children are an essential element of our society and education and safe environment is their basic right. We need to create safe spaces for children not just in schools but also in other settings, like jails. Children should not be retained in jails or exploited on streets, rather they should be placed in rehabilitation centers and provided proper school system.

NCRC has developed policy briefs on; street children, child marriages, forced conversions and domestic child labour in Pakistan. These policy briefs aim towards promotion, protection and fulfillment of child rights.

On this Day, NCRC pledges to show determination to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of all humans, in the equal rights of men, women and children. Seventy-five years have passed from the day Pakistan came into existence, and since then, study after study has taught us that there is no tool for development more effective than the protection and promotion of child rights, as they constitute a large number of our population. The very real benefit of investing in children, the most important fact remains: children themselves have the right to live in dignity, in freedom from want and from fear.

NCRC strongly recommends to work toward eliminating child labour across the country and amend the Article 11(3) of the Constitution of Pakistan to prohibit the employment of children under 18 years of age and in any hazardous conditions and factories.

We must understand the role of human rights as empowering of individuals and communities. By protecting these rights, we can help prevent the many conflicts based on poverty, discrimination and exclusion (social, economic and political) that continue to plague humanity and destroy decades of development efforts. The vicious circle of human rights violations that lead to conflicts-which in turn leads to more violations-must be broken. NCRC believes we can break it only by ensuring respect for all human rights.

About NCRC: The Federal Government has constituted the National Commission on the Rights of Child in exercise of powers conferred by Section 3(1) of the National Commission on the Rights of Child Act, 2017 (XXXII of 2017) under a notification issued on February 28, 2020. The Commission has an overarching mandate in accordance with international obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Child (UNCRC) and for matters related to the promotion, protection and fulfillment of child rights as enshrined in the NCRC Act 2017