Body formed on children’s registration at birth time

LAHORE: A meeting, on Tuesday, decided to form a committee to prepare recommendations to ensure the registration of children at the time of birth. Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman and Chairperson National Commission on Rights of Child (NCRC) Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq attended the meeting held at the Civil Secretariat.

The committee will comprise the secretary local government department, special secretary health department, chairman Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB), Director General National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and the Punjab member of National Commission on Rights of Child (NCRC).

The meeting also decided to depute the secretary implementation and coordination as the focal person for enhancing coordination with the NCRC. Speaking on the occasion, the chief secretary said that birth registration is very important for the protection of children’s rights, provision of better health and education facilities.

He said that the process of registration of children at the time of birth would be made easy in Punjab, adding that the NCRC would be given full support to ensure the protection of children’s rights across the province. Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq said that birth registration is a fundamental right of every child.

She said that the rate of registration of children at birth in Pakistan is very low as compared to other countries. She mentioned that the National Commission on Rights of Child is working hand in hand with the federal and provincial governments to underscore the importance of birth registration and to provide necessary facilities for it. The secretaries of local government and health departments, chairman PITB, representatives of Nadra and National Commission on Rights of Child participated in the meeting.