A stakeholder consultation organized by the National Commission on the Rights of the Child in partnership with UNICEF and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights brought together civil society, academia and the National Commission for Human Rights to prepare for the upcoming Committee on the Rights of the Child state review and to underscore the importance of stakeholders’ submissions.
Dr Mehek Naeem, Member Punjab NCRC, opened the session by reaffirming the Commission’s commitment to promoting, protecting and advancing the rights of every child in Pakistan. She emphasized collaborative dialogue, evidence-based policymaking and consistent engagement with national and provincial actors to ensure meaningful progress in implementing the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Ms Jennifer Milten, Chief of Child Protection at UNICEF Pakistan, highlighted Pakistan’s progress in recent years with targeted data collection, particularly the Child Labour Surveys conducted across the country. She noted that these surveys form a critical evidence base for responsive policy, stronger child protection mechanisms and sustained advocacy to eliminate child labour and improve children’s wellbeing.
Ms Christine Chung from OHCHR provided an in-depth presentation on the treaty reporting process and the role of stakeholders in strengthening accountability and advocacy ahead of the CRC review. Her remarks covered the optional protocols Pakistan has signed, their implications for national reporting obligations, and how CRC submissions can be aligned with other treaty bodies and international mechanisms to boost coherence and human rights compliance.
The consultation concluded with a collective commitment to improve coordination, ensure evidence-based reporting and sustain Pakistan’s progress in advancing child rights. Participants stressed the central role of comprehensive stakeholder reports and ongoing collaboration across government, civil society and international partners to support a robust CRC review process.
