Dr Aamer Abdullah, who advises the provincial governor on education and social welfare, has directed authorities to start filling the chief's post at the Provincial Child Protection and Welfare Commission, a position that has stayed vacant for a long time. He said selection should be based on merit, expertise and experience. Under his instructions, an advertisement for the post must be published within a week, which would start the formal KP adviser appointments process.
Merit and the review of nominations
Dr Aamer also wants the appointments already made to the Commission reviewed. He pointed to cases where people were placed for political reasons and had done little of substance for the institution. The changes are to be set out in a summary for the relevant forum.
The meeting was attended by Moatasim Billah Shah, who has recently taken up the post of social welfare secretary, and Ejaz Muhammad Khan, the Commission's deputy chief. Participants went through the Commission's performance, its administrative matters and current child protection projects.
What the Commission does and where its cases stand
According to the briefing, the Commission was created under the 2010 Act, and its remit covers the rights and welfare of children below 18. It currently runs 19 Child Protection Units across districts in the province. The helpline, 1121, lets callers ask for help or flag child protection problems.
Officials told the adviser that 35,739 children have been registered so far. Of those, 34,009 have been dealt with and closed, and 1,730 are still being considered. The Commission has also provided counselling to 5,958 children.
The Commission also gives legal help to children who face social vulnerability, exploitation or abuse, including with registering and following up cases. It also handles rehabilitation of children harmed by abuse, and assists minors kept in jails across the province.
During the meeting, the adviser called the 1121 helpline himself to see how the service was working for the public. He stressed that digitalisation of the Commission has to be completed quickly so that operations and service delivery improve.
Rules, foreign support and child care centres
Dr Aamer wants the rulebook on child protection revised, with a detailed presentation on the changes placed before him within seven days. He also asked for the Commission's composition to be reviewed.
He asked for a review of the kind of help foreign agencies provide, to check that it serves children's interests and fits the Commission's remit. He also pressed for closer supervision of child care centres, saying such institutions should come under formal regulation. Regular records on the children living in them, including their details, should be kept.
A draft bill aimed at stopping child marriage is to be routed through the Law Department to the federal government for follow-up. He also argued that legal and administrative changes are needed for the system to work better and be more accountable.
The first of the KP adviser appointments steps is the advertisement, and the revised rules presentation is due on the same one-week timetable.
Aasan alfaaz mein
KP ke adviser Dr Aamer Abdullah ne Child Protection and Welfare Commission ke chief ki khali post par merit par bharti shuru karne ka hukm diya hai. Ishtehar ek hafte mein dena hai, aur Commission ko nominations ka jaiza lene ki hidayat bhi di gayi hai. Commission ke 1121 helpline par bachon ki madad ya shikayat ke liye call ki ja sakti hai. Aam logon ke liye iska matlab hai ke bachon ki hifazat ka nizam behtar aur shafaf banane ki koshish ho rahi hai.
