PAKISTAN | Ombudsman Punjab office celebrates International Children’s Day

Under the chairmanship of Major Azam Suleman Khan (Retd) (Hilal-i-Imtiaz), Hon’ble Ombudsman Punjab, the Office of Ombudsman Punjab (Pakistan) celebrated the International Children's Day with great enthusiasm. Chief Provincial Commissioner for Children, Ombudsman Punjab and senior officers of the Office were also present on the occasion.

Hon’ble Ombudsman Punjab welcomed the participants and informed them that children are one of the most vulnerable segments of society and the institution is fully cognizant of the problems being faced by them. The Ombudsman is committed to stand by them through providing resolution to their problems.

Ms. Tabana Sajjad Naseer, Chief Provincial Commissioner for Children, Ombudsman Punjab briefed the audience on different issues being faced commonly by the children and way forward to protect them from different kinds of child abuse. She sensitized the audience about the work of the office of chief provincial commissioner for children and reiterated that the Ombudsman institution should provide an active platform for the children to raise their voices against different issues being faced by them. By prioritizing children's rights, everybody can help build a better future for all.

While addressing, the Hon’ble Ombudsman Punjab said that while dealing with complaints from the aggrieved persons, his Office endeavours to get all the grievances redressed at the earliest. However, issues and problems being faced by children are focus of close attention. For prompt disposal of complaints and keeping in view the vulnerability of children, a dedicated office of Chief Provincial Commissioner for Children (OCPCC) has been working since 2009, under the auspices of Office of Ombudsman Punjab. It provides a dedicated mechanism for redressal of child grievances and resolving complaints made by or on behalf of the children. It has also been working to oversee and ensure that all laws, policies, programs and administrative instruments are in place in accordance with the Child Rights framework as articulated in the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Children. He added that our collective responsibility to protect our children has never been more crucial. He urged that every individual should seriously take the issues being faced by our children and work together to raise awareness, educate the communities and empower the children to protect their emotional health and ensure their well-being by all means.

In his concluding remarks, the Hon’ble Ombudsman said that on this International Children’s Day everyone should resolve to contribute towards improving the well-being of children worldwide. Mothers and fathers, teachers, nurses, doctors, government leaders, civil society activists, religious scholars, community leaders and media professionals, as well as youth and children themselves should play their full role towards carving the path of wellness and prosperity of children.

Source: The Office of the Ombudsman of the Province of Punjab, Pakistan