IMPLEMENTING CHILD RIGHTS IN PAKISTAN: ALTERNATIVE REPORT FOR UN CRC JUNE 2015 Submitted by the Child Rights Movement (CRM), a coalition of Pakistani INGOs and NGOs working on child rights issues. 2 This report is dedicated to all the children of Pakistan, but specifically to the victims of terrorism, and in particular to Malala Yousufzai, Aitezaz Hassan and the victims and survivors of the Peshawar massacre. 3 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................................... 6 GENERAL MEASURES OF IMPLEMENTATION (ART. 4, 42, 44 (6)) ............................................................................... 7 PREVIOUS RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................................................................... 7 LEGISLATION ......................................................................................................................................................................... 7 COORDINATION AND INDEPENDENT MONITORING ...................................................................................................................... 8 THE NATIONAL PLAN OF ACTION FOR CHILDREN ......................................................................................................................... 8 ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES ................................................................................................................................................... 9 COOPERATION WITH CIVIL SOCIETY .......................................................................................................................................... 9 DATA COLLECTION AND INFORMATION DISSEMINATION .............................................................................................................. 9 DISSEMINATION OF THE CONVENTION AND TRAINING ............................................................................................................... 10 DEFINITION OF THE CHILD (ART. 1) ........................................................................................................................ 10 GENERAL PRINCIPLES (ART. 2, 3, 6 AND 12) ........................................................................................................... 11 NON-DISCRIMINATION ......................................................................................................................................................... 11 BEST INTEREST OF THE CHILD ................................................................................................................................................ 12 THE RIGHT TO LIFE, SURVIVAL AND DEVELOPMENT ................................................................................................................... 12 RESPECT FOR THE VIEWS OF THE CHILD ................................................................................................................................... 13 CIVIL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS (ART. 7, 8, 13-17, 39) ............................................................................................... 14 BIRTH REGISTRATION ........................................................................................................................................................... 14 FREEDOM OF THOUGHT, CONSCIENCE AND RELIGION ................................................................................................................ 14 TORTURE AND CRUEL TREATMENT ......................................................................................................................................... 15 CORPORAL PUNISHMENT ...................................................................................................................................................... 15 VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN (ART. 19, 39, 37 (A), 28(2)) ...................................................................................... 15 FAMILY ENVIRONMENT AND ALTERNATIVE CARE (ART. 5, 9-11, 18 (PARAS. 1 AND 2), 20-21, 25, 27) ...................... 16 FAMILY ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................................................................................................ 16 CHILDREN WITHOUT PARENTAL CARE ..................................................................................................................................... 17 REHABILITATION OF CHILD VICTIMS ........................................................................................................................................ 17 DISABILITY, BASIC HEALTH AND WELFARE (ART. 6, 18 (PARA. 3), 24, 26, 27 (PARAS. 1-3) AND 33) ........................... 18 CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES................................................................................................................................................. 18 SURVIVAL, HEALTH AND WELFARE ......................................................................................................................................... 19 Infant and Maternal Mortality ................................................................................................................................... 19 Polio and Immunisation .............................................................................................................................................. 19 Malnutrition ................................................................................................................................................................ 21 Breast Feeding ............................................................................................................................................................ 21 HIV/AIDS ..................................................................................................................................................................... 22 Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health .............................................................................................................. 22 Drug Abuse ................................................................................................................................................................. 23 4 HARMFUL TRADITIONAL PRACTICES ........................................................................................................................................ 23 STANDARDS OF LIVING ......................................................................................................................................................... 23 EDUCATION, LEISURE AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES (ART. 28, 29, 30 AND 31) ............................................................ 24 EDUCATION ........................................................................................................................................................................ 24 LEISURE AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES ........................................................................................................................................ 26 SPECIAL PROTECTION MEASURES (ART. 22, 30-40) ................................................................................................. 27 ECONOMIC EXPLOITATION, INCLUDING CHILD LABOUR, SALE AND TRAFFICKING OF CHILDREN ......................................................... 27 CHILDREN IN STREET SITUATIONS ........................................................................................................................................... 27 SEXUAL ABUSE .................................................................................................................................................................... 28 REFUGEE CHILDREN ............................................................................................................................................................. 28 INTERNALLY DISPLACED CHILDREN ......................................................................................................................................... 29 CHILDREN AFFECTED BY EXTREMISM AND CONFLICT .................................................................................................................. 29 PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT AND HELPLINES ................................................................................................................................ 30 JUVENILE JUSTICE ................................................................................................................................................................ 30 OPTIONAL PROTOCOLS TO THE CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD ......................................................... 31 RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................................................................................... 31 ANNEXURES ......................................................................................................................................................... 34 ANNEXURE 1-LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTED IN CONSULTATIONS & INDIVIDUALS INTERVIEWED ............................................ 34 ANNEXURE 2-PENDING/LAPSED BILLS ..................................................................................................................................... 38 ANNEXURE 3-FINDINGS FROM THE CONSULTATIONS WITH CHILDREN .......................................................................................... 39 5 Introduction