KARACHI: The Ministry of Human Rights and the World Health Organization (WHO) have launched a national consultation process to draft a Strategic Action Plan aimed at preventing violence against children and protecting the country’s 112 million minors, the two organizations announced on Saturday.
According to the joint statement, Pakistani children continue to face numerous forms of abuse, including homicide, physical and sexual violence, psychological harm and neglect. The upcoming strategy seeks to address these challenges through a unified national approach.
The consultation process engaging experts, government stakeholders and organizations from all provinces and autonomous regions opened in Karachi and concluded in Islamabad. The plan is being designed in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and WHO’s INSPIRE framework, a globally recognized evidence-based model created by a consortium of international agencies.
Federal Secretary for Human Rights, Abdul Khalique Shaikh, said the time had come to replace scattered efforts with a comprehensive, multi-sectoral response.
“A national strategy with measurable goals, clear institutional roles, and a strong monitoring mechanism is essential,” he noted.
The statement highlights several gaps in child protection: only one-third of children under five are officially registered at birth, over 12.5 million work as child labourers, and vulnerable groups including displaced and migrant children, as well as those living in informal settlements face heightened exposure to trafficking, early marriage, exploitation and hazardous work.
INSPIRE outlines seven proven approaches to reducing violence, focusing on laws, social norms, safe physical environments, family and caregiver support, economic empowerment, child-focused services and life-skills education.
Calling violence against children a pressing global health crisis, WHO Representative in Pakistan Dr. Luo Dapeng emphasized the urgency of the plan.
“This is more than a policy document it’s a roadmap to safeguard future generations. Every act of violence destroys potential, and every child deserves a chance to thrive,” he said.
Worldwide, an estimated one billion children suffer some form of violence each year, and a child dies from violent acts every five minutes deaths that experts say are entirely preventable.
Dr. Muhammad Arif, director of international cooperation at the Ministry of Human Rights, said the consultations signify the beginning of a long-term national effort.
“Our goal is to align Pakistan’s roadmap with constitutional protections, the Sustainable Development Goals, and international human rights obligations,” he stated. “Strengthening and coordinating existing systems is vital for any meaningful change.”
