KARACHI: Sindh Child Protection Authority (SCPA) approved a budget of Rs200 million for the year 2017-18 in its 7th meeting held here under Social Welfare Advisor to Chief Minister Sindh Shamim Mumtaz on Tuesday.
Social Welfare Secretary Alia Shahid, SCPA Director General Hafeezullah Abbasi, Madadgar helpline Chief Executive Officer Zia Awan, Plan Pakistan representative Sohail Ahmed, UNICEF representative Dr Asif , Devcon representative Nisar Nizamani, Aahung Manager Aisha Aijaz, Sindh Chief Minister Secretariat Deputy Secretary Coordination Farah Yameen and representatives of Home, Law and Labour Departments and others attended the meeting.
The meeting approved Rs200 million for the year 2017-18 budget of the authority. The organogram of the authority was also approved with Director Operations, Director Finance & Audit, Director Legal, Director IT to assist SCPA director general at the provincial level and an assistant director will be posted at divisional level while 29 child protection officers in all districts throughout the province.
It was decided to appoint the officers initially for six months-probation from existing resources of Sindh government and Social Welfare department who will then be reviewed to be appointed on a permanent basis.
Four member SCPA executive committee was also approved comprising Alia Shahid (chairperson, Zia Awan , Farah Yameen, and a representative nominated by Plan Pakistan as its members who will meet once a week.
The meeting decided to organize a national-level conference of stakeholders on children-related issues to strengthen coordination for child protection. The meeting also decided to regulate shelter homes of children run by the Non-Government Organization and certify them after regulating them according to certain standard operating procedures.
It was decided to invite specialized NGOs working on children-related issues so that coordinated efforts could be initiated for protection of children.
It was also decided that the Bureau of Statics and UNICEF will give a joint presentation on a survey conducted by latter on the child labour in next meeting of the authority. Meeting also approved to appoint Kashif Bajeer as the Regional Head the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Children.
