Protecting the Rights of Children?

Seven months back , having warmly welcomed the notification of National Commission on the Rights of Child (NCRC), one assumed that here was an outstanding opportunity to lessen the misery and abuse of millions of Pakistani children. Has this opportunity been encashed or is the NCRC, happily drifting to become yet another sleepy dysfunctional Commission of Pakistan.

A five point agenda was suggested to the NCRC. These points could have been easily actioned in the first 2 months. These were:

1. Make a website for NCRC that contains “proactive information” on issues such as a. what is NCRC about? Its postal address, phone number and an email that will always respond; b. names, brief bio and email addresses of all members;   c. links to all Child Right Laws of Pakistan; d. functions and responsibilities of NCRC; e.
   decisions of each meeting held by NCRC. Ideally the NCRC must meet once in a fortnight.
2. 2. Define specific goals achieved or improvements made in the Child Protection System in Pakistan, since the inception of NCRC.
3. Describe what 10 goals has the NCRC set up that it wishes to accomplish in the next one year and what are the specific steps / actions that are planned to meet these goals.
4. Give details of budget allocated to NCRC and how exactly it was spent.
5. Ensure that ZARRA agency, its nation-wide help line, its data base and its response actions are established and implemented by the government.

Sadly none of these tasks have been accomplished. Will the remaining tenure of the NCRC follow the footsteps of these first seven months? Our children, meanwhile continue to be abused and raped by the hour.

naeem sadiq