Govt to meet children’s development goals
By Bushra Rafique

ISLAMABAD—The government is endeavoring to meet all the challenges regarding the developmental goals for children.
Additional Secretary Ministry of Social Welfare and Special Education, M. Noor Saghir Khan said this while speaking at study launching ceremony on “Violence Against Children” organized by Ministry of Social Welfare and Special Education to mark the day with international community.
Managing Director Pakistan Bait ul Mal Brig (retd) Muhammad Sarfraz, Director National Commission for Child Welfare and Development (NCCWD) Muhammad Hassan Mangi and other senior officials of Ministry of Social Welfare and Special Education, UNICEF and Save the Children US were also present.
Speaking on the occasion, Noor Saghir said children are our future, afuture that is in our hands which needs to be protected from all kinds of exploitation and abuse.
The world today is more equipped with knowledge, resources and legal imperatives to give every child the best possible start in life, in family environment that offers love, the care and the nurturing children need to grow,to learn and develop to the fullest.
Highlighting the plan and project of the Ministry, the Addition Secretary said, “We have prepared a comprehensive National Plan of Action for Children,through a consultative process with all stakeholders and children.
“We are also working on care, protection and development of children in institutional care in collaboration with Save the Children UK”, he added.
He said the overall objective of the project is to develop standards for the protection and care of children in institutional care.
Earlier, Director NCCWD said that the main objective of NCCWD is to provide education and healthcare facilities to the poor, working and street children who are unable to get it.
He further said, we would set up “Child Protection Centre” in the country for the welfare of deserving and needy children.
Hassan Mangi said Ministry of Social Welfare and Special Education has taken a initiative to introduce a child protection law for providing a protective environment to children, so that they can grow to their potential without fear of violence, abuse and exploitation.
The study was prepared by UNICEF in collaboration with Ministry of Social Welfare and Special Education. It will provide a global picture of violence against children and proposes recommendations to prevent and respond to this issue.
The study will provide information on the incidence of various types of violence against children within the family, schools, alternative care institutions and detention facilities, places where children work and communities.
The study was prepared through a participatory process which included regional, sub-regional and national consultations, expert thematic meetings and field visits.
By resolution 836 (IX) of December 14, 1954, the General Assembly recommended that all countries institute a Universal Children’s Day, to be observed as a day of worldwide fraternity and understanding between children.
It recommended that the day was to be observed also as a day of activity devoted to promoting the ideals and objectives of the charter and the welfare of the children of the world.
The assembly suggested to governments that the day be observed on the date and in the way which each considers appropriate.
The date November 20, marks the day on which the Assembly adopted theDeclaration of the Rights of the Child, in 1959, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in 1989.