LAHORE: A meeting on Tuesday decided to form a committee to prepare recommendations to ensure the registration of children at the time of birth.
The committee will comprise the secretary of Local Government Department, special secretary of Health Department, chairman of Punjab Information Technology Board, director-general of National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), and the Punjab member of National Commission on the Rights of the Child (NCRC).
Chief Secretary Punjab Zahid Akhtar Zaman and Chairperson of the National Commission on the Rights of the Child (NCRC) Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq attended the meeting held at the Civil Secretariat. The meeting also decided to depute the Secretary of Implementation and Coordination as the focal person for enhancing coordination with the NCRC.
Speaking on the occasion, the chief secretary said that birth registration was very important for the protection of children’s rights and provision of better health and education facilities. He said that the process
of registering children at birth would be made easier in Punjab, adding that the NCRC would be given full support to ensure the protection of children’s rights across the province.
Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq said that birth registration was a fundamental right of every child. She said that the rate of registration of children at birth in Pakistan was very low compared to other countries. She mentioned that the NCRC was working hand in hand with the federal and provincial governments to underscore the importance of birth registration and provide necessary facilities for it.
The secretaries of the local government and health departments, the chairman of PITB, and representatives of NADRA and NCRC participated in the meeting.