PA Speaker announces parliamentary caucus for child rights

LAHORE:Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan Friday announced formation of the first-ever parliamentary caucus for child rights in the Punjab Assembly.

The PA Speaker made the announcement addressing a high-level stakeholders’ consultation workshop on the development of a Child Protection Prevention Framework (CPPF) at a local hotel.

The caucus will be led by Child Protection and Welfare Bureau chairperson Ms Sarah Ahmad as its Convener and will comprise members from across the political spectrum. In this connection, Ms Sarah reaffirmed that the primary focus of the caucus will be the implementation of the CPPF, reinforcing a unified approach to advance children’s rights through legislative and policy measures.

The event was jointly organised by the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau, UNICEF Pakistan, and Save the Children International, bringing together key stakeholders committed to advancing child protection efforts across the province.

The workshop was chaired by Ms Sarah, who reaffirmed Punjab’s strong commitment to protecting the rights and well-being of children. She said the primary focus of the caucus will be the implementation of the CPPF, reinforcing a unified approach to advancing children’s rights through legislative and policy measures. The session convened representatives from a wide range of government departments and civil society organisations.

In her keynote remarks, Ms Sarah emphasised that prevention is the most cost-effective and sustainable strategy for addressing child protection challenges and reiterated the Bureau’s commitment to building a prevention-focused child protection system. She also referenced Punjab’s leadership at the international level, noting recent discussions at the Global Ministerial Conference, and highlighted the growing concerns around cyber bullying and the need to promote positive parenting practices as core components of prevention. Aftab Ahmad Khan, Director General of the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau, announced plans to establish Prevention Resource Centres and to implement structured prevention programs at the district level.

The CPPF will establish clear key performance indicators and a monitoring framework to assess progress and strengthen accountability. The Framework emphasizes inter-agency coordination, aiming to unify the efforts of government departments, law enforcement agencies, child protection and welfare bodies, and civil society actors under a cohesive, standardized prevention agenda.

Participants engaged in interactive group discussions to provide feedback on the development of Child Protection Prevention Framework.Stakeholders agreed on the urgent need to address root causes, invest in early intervention, and build a sustainable, child-centered framework that upholds the rights of every child.