Child protection

The cabinet legislative committee’s decision to approve a child protection bill for Islamabad Capital Territory reflects its willingness to respond to a social problem in an effective manner. As per the bill, the courts will be able to limit the exercise of parental custody and control where a child is at risk of significant harm and requires care. The courts will also be in a strong position to restrict parental custody if a child is subject to a child care plan. Any confidential reports pertaining to a child will only be disclosed to parents or legal guardians. Under the proposed bill, the media will be required to follow strict privacy rules regarding children when they prepare news reports.

Such laws remain painfully relevant to our times and will help assuage the plight faced by children in the ICT. However, if the recent case involving the ordeal faced by a child maid is anything to go by, child protection laws need to be more specific so as to remain relevant and appropriate. The proposed bill only partially deals with child domestic labour. At this critical juncture – when concrete laws are needed to take perpetrators to task and bring respite to the survivors of such crimes – there is no legislation concerning child domestic labour. The relevant authorities should look into this matter and take steps to safeguard the rights of child domestic workers.

Sara Alavi

Islamabad