Staff Report
PESHAWAR:Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Child Protection and Welfare Commission (KPCPWC), in collaboration with UNICEF organized first-of-its-kind Cross-Regional Exchange on Strengthening Child Protection Systems in Pakistan.
This two-day landmark event brought together child protection authorities and commissions from across all the federating units of country, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, and the Islamabad Capital Territory. The exchange aimed to foster inter-provincial dialogue and learning exchange on further strengthening child protection systems in the country and to build consensus on improving coordination to collectively address child protection issues common to more than one province or region.
In his welcome remarks, Syed Nazar Hussain Shah, Secretary of the Social Welfare, Special Education & Women Empowerment Department noted that KP was the first province to legislate a dedicated child protection law in 2010 and established KP Child Protection and Welfare Commission. He described the seminar as “more than an event – a forum to reflect, share, and grow together,” and urged all provinces and regions to place children at the heart of governance and justice.
He appreciated the delegations from all provinces and regions for coming to Peshawar to conduct comparative analysis of learning from each other’s experiences in their efforts to strengthen child protection systems, build consensus on the need for a regular coordination forum and inclusion of children as meaningful actors in these efforts.
Wisam Hazem, Programme Manager at UNICEF Peshawar, welcomed the delegates from all parts of Pakistan and other participants. He reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to strengthening child protection systems not only in KP but across Pakistan.
The major highlights of this two-day event also included the launch of KPCPWC’s Inaugural Report (2010-2024), Centre of Continuing Professional Development (C4CPD), Child Protection Information Management System (CPIMS) and Child Protection Helpline 1121.
Sohail Ahmad, Child Protection Specialist UNICEF, provided a detailed overview of the KPCPWC’s Inaugural Report from 2010-2024 to the forum. The report is a comprehensive documentation of the KPCPWC’s efforts in the global and historical perspective post 18th Constitutional Amendment to establish and strengthen child protection system in the province. It captures not only its past and present achievements but a future roadmap to continue improving the child protection institutional framework, governance and services in the province – a commitment for the system to exists in all districts in KP.
The official launch of the Centre for Continuing Professional Development (CCPD) by the Minister for Social Welfare, Syed Qasim Ali Shah, also marked a significant, historical, and first-of-its-kind child protection initiative in Paksistan KPCPWC with the support of UNICEF established the CCPD in its provincial secretariat as a representation of deeper understanding of the critical gaps in the planning, development and strengthening of technical capacities, professional development and supervision of child protection workforce across relevant sectors in the province.
The Centre is designed not only to build individual capacities but also to contribute to systemic reforms, including the integration of child protection into allied sectors such as health, education, social welfare, and justice.
Minister for Social Welfare Department also presented a roadmap to scaling up the child protection system across all districts of the province. He updated the forum that the CM KP in this regard has endorsed key proposals, including the institutional sustainability of existing 21 District Child Protection Units in the province and expansion of DPCUs to additional five districts in the coming fiscal year (2025-2026) through a significant enhancement of the regular grant-in-aid to the KPCPWC by Rs. 250 million. Additionally, he has approved a special allocation of Rs. 120 million for the establishment of a model DCPU facility in Dera Ismail Khan (DIK).
At the end, the Minister acknowledged UNICEF’s critical role and partnership in making the vision for a comprehensive child protection system fully functional through trained and supported workforce, CPIMS, and Child Protection Helpline 1121 in KP.
He also extended his special gratitude to UNICEF for supporting KPCPWC to organize this first of its kind forum with all provinces and regions that helped to build a national consensus on the need for common communication framework and inter-provincial coordination.
