Lahore, Feb. 7 (TNS): Child protection curriculum has been introduced in schools in Punjab.
“Punjab government launched 24-point booklet regarding safety of children which will be distributed to teachers and parents in first phase,” a statement issued by Punjab government said.
The purpose of launching this booklet is to create awareness among the children, parents and teachers. In the first phase 400,000 booklets will be published in the first phase.
These books will also be sent to different organisations for feedback. Punjab government will organise seminar to create awareness among the masses regarding child abuse.
The government says there will be different books for different levels while material regarding awareness about child abuse will be part of the curriculum after consulted and approved by stake holders.
Punjab government is going to start regular parent-teacher meetings at government schools as this would discuss the situation of child not only about his academic but his other problems too.
Earlier, a 20-member committee was formed by the Chief Minister of Punjab Shehbaz Sharif on safeguarding children on January 13, after a public outcry broke out when the violated body of a seven-year-old child was found in a garbage dump in Kasur.
Minister for Law Rana Sanaullah was the convener of the committee with the minister for schools as the co-convener.
The Terms of reference of the committee were included “to deliberate and recommend replication of AMBER Alert system in Punjab” and “propose SOP to immediately know, locate and recover missing children, and to make our society children-friendly.”
Moreover, the committee was also “intelligently use ICT to protect children in streets, parks, schools and in other public places”, “review existing laws and criminal investigation procedures apropos child abduction and child abuse”, and “propose revisions in school curriculum to educate children in dealing with strangers and self-protection.”
The Punjab Government Spokesperson Malik Ahmad Khan had said that child abuse awareness will be taught in the school syllabus, adding that there is no other choice than to make the subject a part of the syllabus.
He had also assured that the issue will become a part of the curriculum, adding that such high level of incidents is reported due to “lack of basic education” on the matter.
The Child Protection and Welfare Bureau (CPWB) of Punjab is dedicated to helping safeguard the physical and physiological welfare of the most vulnerable section of society: children. All across the province there are unreported cases of children being forced to beg by professionally operated gangs, being exploited for the sex trade, being inducted into bonded labor or being abandoned altogether to fend for themselves. Oftentimes, children are trapped in this horrific cycle of abuse with no way out.
Though the CPWB has had considerable success in addressing these issues, it aims to widen its scope of impact by engaging the public at large in combating this menace. It has set up a Child Helpline (1121) which you can call any day, any time, to report suspected maltreatment of children. The CPWB will then take measures to remove the child from that situation, assist in his/her rehabilitation and where possible reunite children with their families. So if you have information to share, CALL NOW and be a part of fighting this terrible threat to our children – our future.
Punjab’s Child Protection is a broad term to describe philosophies, policies, standards, guidelines and procedures to protect children from both intentional and unintentional harm. It encompasses the rights of all children to protection against violence (physical, psychological, emotional, socio-cultural, and gender-based), abuse, exploitation and neglect.
Children, because of their dependence and immaturity, are vulnerable to abuse in its various forms. Parents or guardians have primary responsibility for the care and protection of their children. When parents or guardians do not or cannot fulfil this responsibility, the state has the legal obligation to intervene to ensure that children are adequately protected.
The Government of Pakistan has also made international commitments by signing and ratifying different conventions and treaties. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is in essence a comprehensive “bill of rights” for all children relating to protection rights, development rights and participation rights. The Convention recognizes the critical role of the family (defined as nuclear or extended) in the life of a child. It states that the family, as the fundamental unit of society that provides the natural environment for the well-being, growth and identity of all its members and particularly children, should be afforded the necessary protection and assistance so that it can fully assume its responsibilities.
The involvement of the State is complementary. The State ensures the protection of the child and guarantees the observance of all child rights by means of the specific activity carried out through the state institutions and the public authorities with competence in this field.
