An Overview Child Rights Movement Pakistan, A coalition of CSOs 11/16/2018

Pakistan’s International Commitments UN Convention on the Rights of Child (UN CRC) ratified on December 12, 1990. 5th State Report is due since December 2012. Optional Protocol on Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography ratified in June 2011. 3. UNCRC Optional Protocols on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict and Complaint Procedures - still pending

Who are we? Child Rights Movement Pakistan (CRM) is a coalition of over 150 organizations in Pakistan working on different aspects of child rights. CRM has: National chapter (52 members), 5 provincial chapters (102 members) including the Azad Jammu and Kashmir The national chapter advocates at the federal level and provides need based technical support to the chapters Provincial chapters work independently focusing on their respective provincial priorities.

Our Mandate Our Vision “All children in Pakistan enjoy their rights as enshrined in the constitution of Pakistan, UNCRC & ILO standards” Our Mission  “To create an enabling environment for the protection and promotion of child rights in Pakistan through collective advocacy” 

What do we do? To speak out with one voice for child rights. Provide a platform for international and local child rights organizations to identify child rights violations and collectively support the indigenous struggle for child rights in line with the international obligations. Advocate for policy and legislative formulation and reforms. Alternative CRC and UPR reporting. Capacity building of it’s members. To act as a bridge between Government and civil society organizations NACG as a sub group within CRM

We meet once a month at our respective locations. We can have more than one meeting if required We have developed an e-group Annual Planning meeting with provincial coordinators and members for the first time in the history of CRM TORs were updated for the smooth functioning of the coalition CRM Child Protection Policy – in process Conducted elections for secretariat and the executive committee We consult with all members for participation, meetings with government officials, conferences etc.

UPR Reporting CRM prepared and submitted the UPR alternative report for Geneva along with consultations with children Follow up on UPR recommendations with letters to embassies Published UPR recommendations for Pakistan Published in Urdu and English the child friendly version of UPR recommendations Advocacy and lobbying through usage of social media

National Action and Coordinating Group (NACG) NACG is formed and as part of CRM Chairman and Co- Chair of National Action and Coordinating Group attended SAIEVAC’s technical consultations.

Capacity building of CRM members Involvement of children in CRC and optional protocols monitoring and reporting Mechanism for monitoring of cases of violence against children Child Protection in emergencies Media code of conduct for child sensitive media coverage Advocacy and lobbying through usage of social media

CRM’s approach for advocacy and lobbying CRM follows the strategic as well as the opportunistic approach for advocacy and lobbying for child rights Strategic approach: CRM has a long-term strategy in place to work for legislation on child rights, and to attain its goals, it develops a work plan for the year. Activities are distributed among member organizations according to their capacities Opportunistic approach: Incidents of violence against children taking place in the country, are taken up as a basis for advocacy and campaigns

Strategic Advocacy National Budget analysis from a child rights perspective: Launch of the analysis report Invest in child campaign based on Budget Analysis 2012-2013 (including letters to all ministries) Report presented to federal and provincial secretary education.

Strategic Advocacy Need assessment of Special Education Complex KPK for (People with Disabilities/ Children with Disabilities) Meeting with department of Social Work at the University of Peshawar for signing MoU with CRM, on consideration of child rights related topics in their syllabus

Strategic Advocacy Celebration of significant Days: CRM Celebrated Universal Children’s day , and on that very day , the Prime Minister declared 2013 as year of Children. Celebrated Malala Day – children from all the provinces including AJ&K presented a resolution on “Girls Right to Education” to their respective provincial education ministers

Opportunistic Advocacy Chief Justice and Prime Minister for the protection of a Christian girl accused for blasphemy. Chief minister of the province of Punjab to take notice of hazardous school transportation systems Capital Administration and Development Division to take notice of the advertisement of a formula milk brand nestle in which a child was mistreated Ministry of Human Rights , and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to take notice of abandoned babies given away as gift on a private TV channel.

Working Through Media Press Conferences and Protests: Press conference held for the separation of Ministry of Human Rights from Ministry of Law Protest held against a case of Domestic Child Labor Press conference held against an incidents of increased Sexual abuse cases Press conference "Situation of Juvenile Justice & Probation Laws Protest for the solidarity with the victims of brutal terror attacks The Status of the Implementation and Enforcement of ILO Conventions Regarding Child Labor in Pakistan

Achievements Provincial education ministers promised to support girls education on Malala Day Prime Minister declared 2013 as year of Children on Universal Children’s day Nestle stopped the airing of an ad showing a child with a tape on his mouth after CRM’s letter campaign. Zong also stopped airing of its ad promoting child labour. One Million signature campaign gave fruitful results in the approval of free and compulsory education for children at primary level at federal level

Challenges Lack of child participation/inclusion in the coalition. Lack of reliable data on child rights violation. No agency for children’s rights – MoHR placed with different ministries. Staff turnover (for member organisations).

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