ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Ministry of Human Rights, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), has launched nationwide consultations to develop a Strategic Action Plan aimed at preventing and responding to violence against children, a growing public health and human rights concern affecting an estimated 112 million children across the country.
The consultations began last week in Karachi and concluded on Friday in Islamabad, bringing together representatives from all provinces and self-governed regions, along with experts and partner organizations. The initiative seeks to establish a unified national framework to address violent killing, physical abuse, sexual violence, psychological harm, and child neglect, which continue to impact millions of children in Pakistan.
Officials said the plan will be aligned with the principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and built around the INSPIRE framework — a global evidence-based package of seven strategies used to reduce violence against children. These strategies focus on strengthening laws and policies, transforming harmful social norms, creating safer environments, supporting caregivers, improving financial security, enhancing response services, and building essential life skills.
Federal Secretary for Human Rights Abdul Khalique Shaikh said that Pakistan’s current efforts must evolve into a coordinated national strategy. He noted that the new plan will include measurable targets, clearly defined institutional roles, and a strong monitoring and evaluation structure to ensure accountability and long-term impact.
The scale of the challenge remains significant. Only one in three children under five in Pakistan is registered at birth, leaving many without basic legal protection. More than 12.5 million children are engaged in child labour, while displaced, migrant, and urban poor children face heightened risks of exploitation, early marriage, trafficking, and workplace abuse.
WHO Representative in Pakistan Dr. Luo Dapeng said violence against children is a major public health crisis and emphasized that the Strategic Action Plan is intended to serve as a roadmap for safeguarding future generations. He reiterated WHO’s commitment to supporting Pakistan in building an environment where every child can grow safely and thrive.
Director of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Human Rights, Dr. Muhammad Arif, said the consultations mark the beginning of a broader, coordinated effort to align Pakistan’s response with the Constitution, Sustainable Development Goals, and international human rights obligations. He stressed that strengthening existing legal and institutional frameworks will be critical to preventing and addressing violence in all its forms.
Globally, an estimated one billion children experience physical, sexual, or emotional violence each year, and a child dies from violence every five minutes — deaths that experts say are preventable with strong, integrated national protection systems.
