PESHAWAR:The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Child Protection and Welfare Commission (KP CP&WC), with the support of UNICEF on Tuesday organized a third round of comprehensive consultation with key stakeholders on the Draft KP Child Protection Policy.
The consultation was facilitated by consultants from Oxford Programme Management (OPM) and chaired by Justice (R) Irshad Qaiser, Caretaker Minister for Social Welfare, Special Education and Women Empowerment Department.
The draft Child Protection Policy is the testimony of the dedication and commitment of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Child Protection and Welfare Commission and the Ministry of Social Welfare to create a safe and protective environment for all children in the province, said a press release issued here.
The policy development process, spanning two years, received consistent support from UNICEF and a team of consultants from OPM.
In his opening remarks, Muhammad Farooq, Additional Secretary of the Social Welfare Department, expressed his gratitude to all participants, highlighting the ambitious and inclusive nature of the policy development process.
He acknowledged the extensive consultations with the Technical Working Group, relevant stakeholders, and a diverse representation of children, commending the Child Protection and Welfare Commission for its approach.
The Child Protection Policy sets clear aims and objectives for the protection of children, recognizing constitutional, legal, and international commitments.
It outlines the governance and implementation arrangements, along with the roles and responsibilities of the relevant departments, organizations, and institutions.
Sohail Ahmad, a Child Protection Specialist from UNICEF, shed light on the objectives of the workshop and added that this Child Protection Policy presents the vision of the Social Welfare Ministry and KP CP&WC for the protection of children in the province.
He also emphasized that although few legal frameworks exist in KP related to the protection and welfare of children, however, this CP Policy provides a comprehensive and rights-based framework for guiding the decisions and programmes of all relevant government departments and stakeholders ensuring the protection of children in the province.
He also highlighted that the significance of the Child Protection Policy is the broader consensus for building a holistic child protection system in the province and agreeing to integrate child protection functions, roles and services within each critical sector so as to ensure every single child is protected from abuse, neglect, violence, exploitation and harmful practices.
Sohail added that it is commendable to see that the draft Child Protection Policy has undergone initial revisions in the last two rounds and has been presented to the Technical Working Group (TWG) led by the Social Welfare Department, including representatives from relevant government departments, civil society organizations and academia.
It has also undergone a broader consultation with stakeholders and a diverse group of children from various backgrounds.
The feedback received from the TWG, stakeholders, and children has been incorporated, showing a commitment to incorporating diverse perspectives in the policy development process.
He encouraged all participants to critically review and provide feedback enabling the KP CP&WC to further improve the existing draft.
He further added that this approach will make the Child Protection Policy more effective in addressing the unique challenges and providing a safe and secure environment for all children.
He also requested the Honorable Minister for vetting the Child Protection Policy from the Child Protection and Welfare Commission and present this to the Cabinet for approval.
The Minister, delivered closing remarks, emphasizing the importance of a ‘whole government approach’ to protect children from violence, exploitation, neglect, abuse, and harmful practices.
She assured the support needed to have the policy approved by the Cabinet and urged all stakeholders for the coordination and collaboration required for child protection services.
In the closing statements, the Minister highlighted the significance of protecting children from abuse and urged participants to ensure the effectiveness, feasibility, and cultural appropriateness of the policy draft within the context of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The stakeholders’ consultations involved a diverse array of participants, including government experts, civil society organizations, and, notably, children from both government and private schools, as well as organizations working with children.
The participants invited for the consultation process included, the Home Department, Finance Department, Planning and Development Department, Law, Human Rights and Parliamentary Affairs Department, Police Department, Social Welfare Department, Labor Department, Probation Department, Law and Judiciary, Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees, and representatives from civil society organizations that work with children.
Ijaz Muhammad Khan, Dy/Chief Child Protection, added that the KP Child Protection and Welfare Commission is committed to ensuring that the policy is thoroughly reviewed and improved with input from all stakeholders, and that consensus is reached before submitting the final policy for the approval of the Government.
Finally, after securing approval from the Government, proper action will be developed to ensure the implementation of the Policy in letter and spirit.
The workshop allowed for presentations, discussions, and brainstorming sessions that identified gaps and areas for improvement in the draft policy.