ISLAMABAD: The Ministry for Law and Justice on Wednesday launched the ‘Activism for Child Justice’ campaign in collaboration with the Group Development Pakistan to ensure child justice across the country.
Addressing the campaign launching ceremony, Minister for Law and Justice Barrister Muhammad Farogh Naseem said the drive would create awareness among the people on the laws that guaranteed protection and justice to the children.
He said schoolchildren would be involved in the activity, who would draw paintings to highlight importance of child justice.
The awareness campaign will focus on child justice using arts as a tool to reach the people from different socio-economic backgrounds.
‘Activism’, a concept adopted in consultation with the child members of Group Development Pakistan, uses local indigenous arts like truck arts, puppetry, interactive theatre, visual art and musicians to allow ownership of the youth transformative process.
Truck art, a popular art form, is being used as an advocacy tool by painting more than 20 trucks and 30 rickshaws with positive messages on child justice.
The children will guide, inform and actively participate in the campaign and will contribute to raising awareness on child justice by connecting artistic activities and by encouraging a model of children’s participation in holding duty-bearers accountable.
A model of positive citizenry among children and youth will be promoted via creative and democratic methods.
A dialogue between the children and the minister highlighted the priorities and needs of Pakistani children to be addressed by the policy makers.
The children raised pertinent questions and asked the minister for the forums where their voices could be heard for ensuring and promoting child justice.
They wanted to know when the instruments for child justice and child protection all over Pakistan would be notified, mainly observation homes, upscaling and creating more rehabilitation centres and safe spaces for children and child protection centres all over the country.
A pledge was signed by children, child rights activists, policy-makers, government representatives, civil society, media, and the public at large to join efforts for pro-actively taking up the child justice agenda.
