Pakistan’s Ministry of Human Rights and the World Health Organization (WHO) have launched consultations to develop a Strategic Action Plan on Violence Against Children, aiming to protect 112 million children nationwide. The initiative addresses the multiple forms of violence children face in Pakistan, including physical, sexual, psychological abuse, child neglect, and violent killings. The consultations, which began in Karachi and concluded in Islamabad, involved stakeholders from all provinces and self-governed areas.
The Strategic Action Plan will be guided by the principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the INSPIRE framework, an evidence-based set of seven strategies developed by WHO and other international agencies. INSPIRE focuses on reducing violence through legal reforms, shifting social norms, creating safe environments, supporting caregivers, improving financial stability, strengthening response services, and developing life skills.
Officials emphasized the need for a coordinated, multi-sectoral approach that brings together education, health, law enforcement, and community systems. Abdul Khalique Shaikh, Federal Secretary at the Ministry of Human Rights, highlighted that the national strategy will provide clear institutional responsibilities, measurable targets, and a robust monitoring and evaluation framework to ensure effective implementation.
The consultations also highlighted existing protection gaps. Only one in three children under five is registered at birth in Pakistan, leaving many without formal protection. More than 12.5 million children are engaged in child labour, and displaced, migrant, or urban poor children are particularly vulnerable to exploitation, trafficking, and early marriage. WHO Representative in Pakistan, Dr Luo Dapeng, stressed that violence against children is a critical public health issue and that the Strategic Action Plan is a roadmap to safeguard children’s lives and futures.
Dr. Muhammad Arif, Director of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Human Rights, noted that these consultations mark the beginning of a coordinated effort to strengthen and integrate legal and institutional frameworks. The plan will align with Pakistan’s constitution, Sustainable Development Goals, and international human rights commitments to effectively prevent and respond to violence against children.
Globally, violence affects one billion children each year, causing lifelong physical and mental health consequences, with a child dying from violence every five minutes. The Strategic Action Plan represents a national commitment to reduce these preventable harms and build a safer environment for children across Pakistan.
