LAHORE: Civil society activists on Friday urged the government to take concrete measures for protection of children. They demanded that the Chief Minister should personally supervise the development and formulation of a child protection policy and a comprehensive plan to address the issue of violence against children. This, they said, would be the correct way to serve justice to eight-year-old Zainab and all other children who have suffered in similar incidents.These demands were put forth at a press conference held by the Child Rights Movement (CRM), an umbrella body of organisations working for children’s rights. Lawyer and activist HinaJillani expressed her deep concern over the government’s apathetic attitude towards the issue of children’s protection. She said even after the case of sexual abuse with several children in Kasur, the government had not been moved enough to take up the matter seriously. “That was the right time when the government should have come into action. It should have established a efficient child protection system in Kasur, which could later have been replicated in rest of the province,” she said. Jillani said had the chief minister been serious he would have immediately established a task force by taking on board relevant civil society organisations. “Now the government has to stop presenting excuses and show us results by the end of 2018,” she said. Activist TanveerJahan said the government lackluster approach towards the issue was responsible for the Kasur incident. “Where were you when children like Zainab were becoming the victims of sexual abuse?” she asked the chief minister. “The Government of the Punjab has not been able to bring any policy solution focusing on prevention of child abuse. That could have been a real contribution of the chief minister on the issue,” she said, “I would urge all stakeholders including the government, media, and civil society to work in collaboration and coordination to help ending violence against children,” she said.Another activist IftikharMubarik also urged the Chief Minister to ensure safety of children by establishing an independent commission on the rights of the child in the province. “Now is the right time. Approve the child protection policy drafted in accordance with the recommendations of the ‘Child Rights Protection Committee’ constituted in 2015 after Kasur pornography incident,” he said.Mubarik regretted that recommendations vetted by the Law Minister were never sent to the office of the Chief Minister for approval. “Those responsible for this must be held accountable,” he said.”The human dignity of children and their right to protection from violence is not just common sense and basic morality but it is also an international legal obligation, as defined in Article 19 of UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and target 16.2 of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” Mubarik said, “It must be a matter of concern for the Chief Minister that there still is no particular department or authority in the province with the mandate to protect children’s rights and promote their wellbeing. “Child Rights Movement Punjab coordinator RashidaQureshi said that the delay in arrest of the suspect in Zainab’s rape and murder case was a big question mark on the performance of the police. She urged the government to train women police officers in investigation-related matters so that cases of violence against women, girls, and children could be dealt with by those officers.She also sought establishment of Child Safety Cells in all district police offices and asked the government to provide adequate financial resources to carry out awareness campaigns on a regular basis.Other suggestions put forth by the activists were to include child safety messages in schools curricula and to form community-based child protection committees to serve as watchdogs at the grassroots level. Published in Daily Times, January 13th 2017.