Aug 12 , 2015
News
Law Ministry to table Child Protection Bill before cabinet
New law to give more protection to children in custody matters
APP
ISLAMABAD – Parliamentary Secretary for Information and Broadcasting Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha on Wednesday informed the National Assembly that the Ministry of Law had drafted a Child Protection Bill aimed at further strengthening and improving working of the National Child Protection Centre (NCPC).
“The bill will shortly be sent to the cabinet for consideration and approval for its introduction in the parliament," he said in a written reply to a query during the question-hour. He said that the bill would help strengthen the centre, established during the year 2006-07, particularly in custody matters of children requiring protection.
Since the centre’s inception in 2007, he said the funds were allocated to the centre on yearly basis through regular budget, adding Rs 10 million had been allocated in the current financial year. Replying to another question, Ranjha said that the ministry had directed all provinces to ensure judicious utilization of funds for what purposes they were allocated and released.
– Funds for street children –
As per reply received from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, he said the provincial government had not received funds for the street children. However, a memorandum of understanding had been signed with the Azad Foundation by the Social Welfare Department/Child Protection and Welfare Commission, for the street children's welfare.
“Cost of the project has not been finalised yet,” the parliamentary secretary said, adding that the activities of the proposed project would mainly focus on two key components namely protection and advocacy. Ranjha also said that the protection component involved the establishment of a protection centre, care centre and kiosks.
“The purpose of the protection centre is to provide protection related information to he street children and refer them to relevant required protection services,” he said. The purpose of kiosks is to record increase in population of the street children through key informers. He said that this would be first point where children would be identified and re-united with their families
He said that the transit care centre would provide services like education and skill development. “It will also meet international standards and guidelines set by UNCRC,” he said. The project would help strengthen coordination to bring all relevant stakeholders under one umbrella to jointly work for the street children in Pakhtunkhwa, he said while sharing details of the provincial government’s reply.
To a supplementary question, Ranjha said that different child protection centres were operating almost in all provinces for which adequate funds were provided to them.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk