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ISLAMABAD, Jan 17 (APP):Justice Project Pakistan (JPP), together with the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR), Group Development Pakistan (GDP), the Legal Aid and Justice Authority (LAJA) and the Parliamentarians’ Commission on Human Rights (PCHR), organized a live screening of Pakistan’s review before the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child.
The event, held at the International Labour Organization (ILO) Auditorium in Islamabad, was supported by the European Union.
The screening brought together journalists, diplomats, civil society organisations, child rights advocates, academics and policy practitioners to observe Pakistan’s interactive dialogue with the UN Committee in real time. Participants engaged with questions raised by Committee members and responses from the State delegation through informal discussions and live tweets carried out during the live screening.
Opening the event, Shafique Chaudhry, Executive Director PCHR said “Pakistan’s review under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is a critical moment of accountability. Our Constitution already reflects the core principles of the Convention; the challenge before us is to translate these guarantees into consistent protection for every child.”
Child rights expert Valerie Khan stated “This is not only an occasion to hold the state to account, but also other institutions, including the judiciary, executive and legislature. It is about developing a clear roadmap to move forward and ensure the effective enforcement of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.”
Pakistan ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1990 and is thus obligated to align its laws, policies and practices with the Convention. The review follows Pakistan’s submission of its combined sixth and seventh periodic reports and comes at a critical moment, given the persistent challenges affecting children across sectors.
Speaking at the event, Adil Anwar, Director General of the Legal Aid and Justice Authority (LAJA), highlighted the importance of embedding child rights within Pakistan’s justice system.
Importantly, Anwar announced that rules have been passed under the Legal Aid and Justice Act, which will operationalise the authority. These rules will strengthen children’s access to justice and improve compliance with Article 40 of UNCRC Fair Trial Rights by introducing free effective legal representation for all Pakistanis in need of legal aid.
The Pakistan Delegation visiting Geneva for the review was led by Minister of State for Law & Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik and included Federal Secretary MOHR Abdul Khaliq Sheikh, Chairperson Punjab Child Protection & Welfare Bureau Sarah Ahmad, and Barrister Zafarullah Khan. They engaged in 2 days of constructive debate with the Committee on the Rights of the Child on issues including juvenile justice, access to education, healthcare and family care, child labour, trafficking of children, and other important child rights issues.
The Committee will now frame recommendations for Pakistan to improve its implementation of the CRC over the next review period. These ‘Concluding Observations’ will shape national reform priorities for child rights over the next decade, which is why it is so important that civil society engages with these international review processes.
Justice Project Pakistan has previously facilitated public screenings of Pakistan’s engagements with international human rights mechanisms, including reviews under the ICCPR, CAT, and the Universal Periodic Review. These initiatives aim to strengthen public awareness and participation, bridging international accountability processes with domestic reform.