The Punjab Cabinet under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has officially approved the province’s first extensive child protection policy, which marks a significant milestone in the protection of children’s rights.
The policy developed by the child protection and the welfare agency aims to provide a structured and effective timetable to prevent the abuse of children, neglect, violence and exploitation. It was approved during a recent cabinet meeting that was chairman of the Minister of Chief.
Chairman of the Child Protection Agency, Sarah Ahmad, said the policy reflects the strong commitment of the Punjab government to protect children’s rights and emphasizes the main minister’s priority of child welfare.
She noted that the work on the implementation framework began a year ago with the development of a case management system, while the original draft policy was submitted to the government two years ago through the home department.
Unicef Pakistan provided technical support for the preparation of the policy and ensured overall international standards.
Previously, the efforts to develop a child protection policy in Punjab because of political uninteresting, a lack of budget support and institutional challenges.
However, under the current administration, the initiative gained strategic importance and has now received approval at the cabinet level.
Social experts and spokesmen for children’s rights have hailed policy as a landmark. They believe that it will not only help prevent crimes against children, but also lay the basis for a safer and more supportive environment throughout the province.
The Punjab government is expected to roll implementation plans at district levels and attention campaigns soon to ensure effective enforcement of the policy.
