Call to appoint adviser to highlight children’s issues in cabinet

LAHORE: Aiming to enhance child protection measures in Punjab and set a precedent for other provinces and the federal government, the appointment of an adviser or special assistant on child protection has been demanded to ensure children's issues are represented in the cabinet properly.

This demand was made by Search for Justice and the Children Advocacy Network (CAN) Pakistan emphasising the need for immediate legislative and administrative actions to protect children.

Iftikhar Mubarik, Executive Director of Search for Justice said comprehensive strategy is needed to eradicate child labour and reintegrate out-of-school children into education. The government must address child labour issue in domestic work by integrating it into provincial child protection laws and incorporating it into the Pakistan Penal Code, he added.

He stressed the need to raise the minimum age of marriage for girls from 16 to 18 years and implement an effective mechanism to combat child marriages. He called for a widespread social and behaviour change campaign to educate communities about the harmful effects of child marriages and ensure that girls and women are aware of their legal rights.