The Government of Pakistan presented its combined sixth and seventh periodic reports under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and its initial report under the Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography during a review in Geneva. The Pakistani delegation was led by Barrister Aqeel Malik and included Abdul Khalique Shaikh, Sara Ahmed and Ambassador Bilal Ahmad, who outlined legislative and policy progress since the 2016 review.
Officials highlighted a wave of legal reforms at federal and provincial levels that strengthen protections for children. New provincial laws set the minimum age of marriage at 18 for both boys and girls, including the Islamabad Capital Territory Child Marriage Restraint Act 2025 and the Balochistan Child Marriages Restraint Act 2025, while parliament has introduced measures criminalizing online child sexual abuse and cyberbullying, and required daycare facilities in public and private institutions. Amendments raising minimum marriage ages for religious minorities, enhanced trafficking protections and specialized juvenile justice procedures were presented as part of broader steps to advance child welfare.
The Zainab Alert, Response and Recovery Act remains central to preventing and responding to abductions and exploitation, and the delegation highlighted technological and institutional innovations such as the ZARRA mobile application to report and monitor child abuse and neglect. In response to questions on the Juvenile Justice System Act 2018, Barrister Aqeel Malik pointed to the National Coordination Committee, which is finalizing implementation rules aimed at uniform application across provinces and stronger safeguards for children in contact with the justice system.
Speakers underlined social supports that complement legal reforms. The Legal Aid and Justice Authority continues to provide free legal assistance to vulnerable groups, including children, while the Benazir Nashounuma Programme targets malnutrition and stunting among children under two through health, nutrition and cash assistance. The government also reiterated the 2024 national education emergency to address out-of-school children and education-related nutrition gaps, and described measures to maintain school safety while preserving normalcy for learners.
Abdul Khalique Shaikh emphasized the maturing human rights infrastructure, noting coordinated work by the National Commission for Human Rights, the National Commission on the Rights of the Child and the National Commission on the Status of Women, and reaffirming their institutional independence. The NCHR’s A-status accreditation and the National Mechanism for Reporting and Follow-up were cited as foundations for evidence-based policymaking and improved monitoring of abuse and exploitation. The Ministry also noted collaboration with the World Health Organization on a strategy to counter violence against children and highlighted that children remain a budgetary priority, with a 25 percent increase in allocations in Punjab and similar rises in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
Officials acknowledged persistent challenges to full enjoyment of child rights, including poverty, regional instability, terrorism and natural hazards, and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to constructive engagement, transparency and continuous improvement in protecting the dignity, safety and well-being of all children across the country.
