ICT Child Protection Bill, 2018, others

RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD: Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights met here on Wednesday to consider ‘the Islamabad Capital Territory Child Protection Bill, 2018,’ ‘the Women in Distress and Detention Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2017,’ ‘the Juvenile Justice System Bill, 2018’ and ‘the Criminal Law (Amendment), Bill, 2018’ passed by the National Assembly and introduced in the Senate from time to time.

Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokar chairing the meeting of the committee observed that child abuse incidents have raised many eyebrows and there is a dire need to carry out legislation to keep check on the child abuse in the federal capital.

The secretary Ministry of Human Rights informed about the Islamabad Capital Territory Child Protection Bill, 2017 and said that the bill provides for protection and care of children from violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect in compliance with constitutional provisions and international obligations of the country. She said that provinces have their respective child protection laws whereas Islamabad Capital Territory being a federal area requires separate legislation for the protection of children. “There is no legal mechanism at ICT level to protect the rights of the children,” he said.

The committee approved the bill after seeking detailed information from the ministry.

While considering ‘the Women in Distress and Detention Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2018,’ the committee was informed that the fund was established in 1996 and since then its board of governors could not hold a single meeting.