ISLAMABAD: Pakistan joins the world community today in celebrating the Universal Children Day 2017, which is an occasion for us all to reaffirm our commitment to the fundamental principles laid down in the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child as well as our national obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Right of the Child. In their separate messages in connection with the Universal Children Day 2017, to be marked today (Monday), President Mamoon Hussain and Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that children were the most precious resource of any nation and the sole guarantee for its future. “The government of Pakistan is fully alive to its responsibilities towards our children, and is determinedly striving to ensure that children’s to inclusive development, education, healthcare, participation, dignity and security, as envisaged in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, are fully implemented and protected,” they said. “Recently, we have taken a very significant step towards this objective by promulgating the National Commission on the Rights of the Child Act, 2017, which provides for an effective institutional mechanism not just to monitor implementation of children’s rights, but also to ensure that laws relating to children’s rights and the administrative agencies responsible for implementing these laws are producing the requisite outcomes. Further, we are strengthening existing legislation and introducing new laws to protect the rights of children in areas where they are most vulnerable, such as employment and marriage,” they said. The president and PM said that they had instituted the National Plan of Action (NAP) for Human Rights, which embodied substantive interventions to address issues relating to, amongst others, child protection, discrimination, labour, and education. “The provincial governments have also taken various legislative and programmatic initiatives to safeguard the rights of children. There are, of course, many predicaments, including social imperatives and resource constraints, but the government of Pakistan stands resolved not to jeopardize the nation’s future by ignoring our greatest common asset. We are confident that with government organizations, civil society bodies, philanthropist establishments, human rights groups, the corporate sector and international development partners all coming together on one platform, no difficulty will be insurmountable, and very soon our children will also enjoy the same care, nurturing, protection and opportunities that are available to children in the more advanced nations of the world,” they said. President Mamnoon Hussain and the Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi further said that on the occasion Universal Children, they re-affirmed their commitment and determination to safeguard the rights of our children. “The observance of the Children Day should serve to remind us of our obligation to the children as ordained in the injunctions of our religion and also in the Constitution. Being a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), Pakistan remains in the forefront to advocate, protect and promote child rights. For this, the Government has undertaken all necessary measures to ensure better livelihood, education, healthcare and protection of children,” they said. They said that Islam enjoined upon us the sacred task of care, protection and development of our children. “Pursuant to our religious and international obligations, the Government is fully cognizant of the need for protection and development of children, who are our greatest asset. As an Islamic Republic, we are obligated to promote best interests of children and provide them with access to equal opportunities without any discrimination. Let us reiterate our commitment to provide our children with a conducive environment to enable them to become useful citizens of the country as well as productive members of the world community. Our resolve towards child welfare continues to reflect in our state policies,” they said. Published in Daily Times, November 20th 2017.