Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, while reiterating the government’s commitment to continue endeavours for child rights and welfare on Tuesday, declared 2013 as the year of child rights.“Children are the future of our nation. They are the ones who will take up leadership roles and serve this country. When we invest in our children, we invest to secure our own future,” the prime minister said.
Ashraf addressed the launching of National Child Rights Awareness Campaign at the National Council of Arts (PNCA), organized by the Parliamentary Forum on Child Rights (PFCR) on the Universal Children’s Rights Day. He said, “This initiative of the Parliamentary Forum on children’s rights is commendable. It deserves cooperation from all the stakeholders.”
The prime minister said that the celebration of Universal Children’s Day was yet another manifestation of the government’s resolve to comply with international obligations towards child rights and protection.
Ashraf announced Rs 30 million for the Parliamentary Forum on Child Rights as a token of the government’s commitment towards child welfare and said that the assistance would help the Forum to spearhead a child development agenda.
He expressed his confidence saying that the Child Rights Awareness Campaign would be helpful in sensitizing the masses towards the promotion of child rights and their welfare.
The prime minister said, “We believe that investing in children’s health, education and protection is a sacred duty, which will bring manifold returns to the society. We are determined to provide a conducive environment for the balanced development of our children which can bring the best out of them and make them useful members of society.”
He said that Pakistani children were endowed with enormous talent and he was sure that there were many like Malala Yousafzai, Arifa Karim, Muhammad Shafay Thobani, Zohaib Asad, and
Ibrahim Shahid in the country.
“Islam enjoins parental responsibility for the well-being of children, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) loved children and was most affectionate towards them,” he added.
Ashraf said that the cowardly attack on Malala had created a national movement in support of children’s right to education across the country.
“The uproar against this outrage made it clear to the world that the Pakistani nation stood united in safeguarding its values, traditions and way of life.
We cannot and will not allow our future to be held hostage to the extremist agenda,” he said.
The prime minister insisted that his government was committed to continue its endeavours for child rights and welfare. “We are devising innovative strategies to address issues related to children in the light of new political, legal and economic framework,” he said.
He said that education up to secondary level had been made a fundamental right through the incorporation of Article 25-A under the 18th Amendment.The National Assembly had recently passed ‘The Right to Free and Compulsory Education Bill, 2012’ unanimously, to ensure free and compulsory education to children between five to sixteen years old.
“It is now the responsibility of the provinces to draft similar legislation to ensure children’s rights,” he said.
PM Ashraf declares 2013 as year of child rights
