Coordination meeting highlights progress in education, child labor reduction, and juvenile rehabilitation under IPVC project
Staff Reporter
Peshawar: Helvetas Pakistan, under its Inclusive Protection for Vulnerable Children (IPVC) project, convened a coordination meeting bringing together frontline workers from law enforcement, education, legal, and social sectors to review progress on child protection initiatives.
Participants highlighted tangible improvements following recent child protection trainings, including increased enrollment of out-of-school children, strengthened community awareness of child rights, and active measures to reduce child labor through education and vocational support.
Significant progress was also reported in institutional practices. Police have started adopting child-sensitive approaches, while prison authorities have ensured the separation and rehabilitation of juvenile detainees. Social welfare teams have intensified rescue operations for children involved in begging, linking them to shelter and education services.
Legal professionals emphasized enhanced protection of child victims through confidentiality measures and improved referral systems for psychosocial support.
Despite these advances, stakeholders noted ongoing challenges, including the high prevalence of child labor and emerging risks such as drug abuse among youth. The meeting concluded with a call for continued capacity building, particularly within law enforcement, and expanded livelihood support for vulnerable families.
Helvetas Pakistan reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening coordinated efforts to create a safer and more protective environment for children across the Peshawar Valley.
