The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Child Protection and Welfare Commission (KP CP&WC), in collaboration with UNICEF Pakistan,inaugurated the Child Protection Unit (CPU) in Chitral Lower. The Deputy Commissioner, Shitral, Muhammad Ali, hosted the ceremony. The key stakeholders, including government officials and representatives from civil society organizations, attended the event.
Muhammad Ali said that the Child Protection Unit aimed at working together with all relevant line departments, stakeholders and service providers for the protection of children from abuse and harm. He also committed his leadership and supervision to the CPU to ensure that it successfully coordinates its work and provides due protection to children at risk of abuse, violence and exploitation.
Ijaz Muhammad Khan, Deputy Chief Protection Officer of the KP Child Protection and Welfare Commission, provided a detailed briefing to all the participants. The briefing was about the process and journey of child protection system development in the province. He mentioned that the government, through its own funding and technical support from UNICEF, has established Child Protection Units in 21 districts and Fronter Regions (FRs) in the province. He also emphasized the role of district child protection committees under the chairmanship of respective Deputy Commissioners (DCs). They appreciated Muhammad Ali for establishing the D-CPCs in Chitral Lower already. Professor Dr. Sanaullah, Head of the Department of Sociology at the University of Chitral, also highlighted the role of state and civil society institutions. They are working together to prevent child protection issues. Sohail Ahmad, a Child Protection Specialist from UNICEF, emphasized the importance of the Child Protection System as a holistic and multi-sectoral approach. He also appreciated the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) for its leadership and investing public finances to establish 21 CPUs in the province.
