President Asif Ali Zardari said on Thursday that the government was committed to promote and protect the rights of children in accordance with moral and ethical values as well as democratic principles.“We pledge that democracy and we will defend the rights of children. Children are our future and whatever we do today, it will be for our future generations,” the President said after signing the Instrument of Ratification of Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.The signing ceremony of the Instrument of Ratification of Optional Protocol to UN Convention on Rights of the Child on Sales of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography held here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr. The ceremony was attended among others by federal ministers and parliamentarians.
The President said that as democracy derives strength from the people, therefore, it is obliged and bound to promote and protect their rights.
President Zardari termed the ratification as “historic” and said child protection and their due care has become very important in the current global environment, where the world has turned into a global village due to modern means of communication like internet.
He said the government was fully cognizant of the sensitivities of child rights protection and was taking every step to ensure the same.
The President called upon the Federal Government to expedite the proposed Child Protection (Criminal Law) Amendment Bill.
He also called upon the Federal and Provincial governments to ensure that all provisions of the Optional Protocol to UN Convention on Rights of the Child are implemented in letter and spirit.
He said, “By ratifying Optional Protocol to UN Convention on Rights of the Child, Pakistan has taken yet another important step to promote the rights of our children in accordance with our moral and ethical values as well as democratic principles.”
The President said Pakistan has joined the ranks of 118 countries that have ratified this Optional Protocol and by ratifying this important document, “we have further advanced the agenda of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto for improving the lot of our children.”
The President while congratulating the children of Pakistan said that it was the vision of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto who pioneered the Summit for Children in the 1990s.
He said that it was under her leadership that Pakistan was one of the six countries that initiated the World Summit on Children and signed and ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1990. It was during her government that Pakistan became among the first twenty countries that signed and ratified the UN Conventions on the Rights of the Child, he said.
The President said that the present Government was committed to promote and protect the rights of children. He said, “we are determined to ensure the well-being and development of our children in a safe, loving and caring environment.”
“This is our political manifesto as well as our religious responsibility, he said. Our Constitution guarantees protection to the children”, he continued.
The President said that in line with our religious, moral and constitutional obligations, we are mindful of our responsibilities towards our children.
The President said that the children are the real asset of the society, they should be protected from all kinds of exploitations and abuses so that they could develop full potential.
He said that sale of children, child pornography and other crimes against them must be curbed.
The President said that child exploitation particularly exploitation of girl child was the product of a number of inter-related factors, adding, “these factors include poverty, under development, socio-economic disparities, irresponsible attitudes and criminal behavior.”
Expressing firm resolve to address all these multiple factors, the President emphasized that the responsibility to protect children was a collective responsibility which requires the collective efforts of all of us—the Government, the people and the civil society.
Expressing hope that every concerned would live up to this shared responsibility towards the children, the President called upon the Federal and Provincial governments to review all provisions of the UN Convention and its Optional Protocol and take steps to implement them.
The President, on this occasion, complimented the National Commission for child Welfare and Development for its efforts to implement the UN convention of the Rights of the Child.
He also complimented Capital Administration and Development division, provincial governments, UNICEF and national and international NGOs and civil society in helping make Pakistan a child friendly State.
Secretary Capital Administration and Development (CAD) Division, Junaid Iqbal Chaudhry in his remarks highlighted the importance of the Optional Protocol to UN Convention on Rights of the Child, for the promotion and protection of child rights. APP
President Zardari termed the ratification as “historic” and said child protection and their due care has become very important in the current global environment, where the world has turned into a global village due to modern means of communication like internet.
He said the government was fully cognizant of the sensitivities of child rights protection and was taking every step to ensure the same.
The President called upon the Federal Government to expedite the proposed Child Protection (Criminal Law) Amendment Bill.
He also called upon the Federal and Provincial governments to ensure that all provisions of the Optional Protocol to UN Convention on Rights of the Child are implemented in letter and spirit.
He said, “By ratifying Optional Protocol to UN Convention on Rights of the Child, Pakistan has taken yet another important step to promote the rights of our children in accordance with our moral and ethical values as well as democratic principles.”
The President said Pakistan has joined the ranks of 118 countries that have ratified this Optional Protocol and by ratifying this important document, “we have further advanced the agenda of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto for improving the lot of our children.”
The President while congratulating the children of Pakistan said that it was the vision of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto who pioneered the Summit for Children in the 1990s.
He said that it was under her leadership that Pakistan was one of the six countries that initiated the World Summit on Children and signed and ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1990. It was during her government that Pakistan became among the first twenty countries that signed and ratified the UN Conventions on the Rights of the Child, he said.
The President said that the present Government was committed to promote and protect the rights of children. He said, “we are determined to ensure the well-being and development of our children in a safe, loving and caring environment.”
“This is our political manifesto as well as our religious responsibility, he said. Our Constitution guarantees protection to the children”, he continued.
The President said that in line with our religious, moral and constitutional obligations, we are mindful of our responsibilities towards our children.
The President said that the children are the real asset of the society, they should be protected from all kinds of exploitations and abuses so that they could develop full potential.
He said that sale of children, child pornography and other crimes against them must be curbed.
The President said that child exploitation particularly exploitation of girl child was the product of a number of inter-related factors, adding, “these factors include poverty, under development, socio-economic disparities, irresponsible attitudes and criminal behavior.”
Expressing firm resolve to address all these multiple factors, the President emphasized that the responsibility to protect children was a collective responsibility which requires the collective efforts of all of us—the Government, the people and the civil society.
Expressing hope that every concerned would live up to this shared responsibility towards the children, the President called upon the Federal and Provincial governments to review all provisions of the UN Convention and its Optional Protocol and take steps to implement them.
The President, on this occasion, complimented the National Commission for child Welfare and Development for its efforts to implement the UN convention of the Rights of the Child.
He also complimented Capital Administration and Development division, provincial governments, UNICEF and national and international NGOs and civil society in helping make Pakistan a child friendly State.
Secretary Capital Administration and Development (CAD) Division, Junaid Iqbal Chaudhry in his remarks highlighted the importance of the Optional Protocol to UN Convention on Rights of the Child, for the promotion and protection of child rights. APP
