Educational institutions urged to protect child rights

Moot participants stress finding solutions to recurring issues

ISLAMABAD: Educational institutions in the country have been urged to play their due role in the protection and promotion of child rights apart from working to find solutions to child rights issues by devising an effective strategy.

This was suggested by participants of a national conference on the Rights of the Children on Wednesday. The conference had been organised by the Sociology Department of the International Islamic University Islamabad’s (IIUI) Social Sciences Faulty, with collaboration from the Child Rights Movement at the Allam Iqbal Auditorium of the Faisal Masjid Campus of the university.

Federal Parliamentary Health Secretary Noushin Hamid said stated that protecting children’s rights is one of the basic priorities of the incumbent government.

“The government is taking several initiatives in this regard,” she stated.

Auon Abbas Bappi, the managing director of the Baitul Maal — the state charity and social welfare organisation, said that they were supporting children through a network of Pakistan Sweet Homes — orphanages.

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“We are supporting the timely needs of orphans and helpless children,” Bappi explained, adding that various civil society organizations are doing their best in this regard.

There is an urgent need to further improve the relationship between us (Baitul Maal and civil society organisations), he said.

IIUI Rector Professor Dr Masoom Yasinzai stated that no country can think of developing without giving rights to its children in a safe environment.

He added that the varsity is taking a host of initiatives to raise awareness for the rights of children apart from ensuring the provision of quality education.

Faculty of Social Sciences Deputy Dean Dr Hazirullah and Provost Female Dr Amina Mehmood spoke on child rights and challenges in promoting child rights in Pakistan.

They elaborated on the role played by academic and civil society organizations in meeting the prevailing challenges in this regard. 

Published in The Express Tribune, September 19^th, 2019.