On January 30, 2026 in Islamabad the Parliamentary Caucus on Child Rights and the Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO) formalized a collaboration by signing a Memorandum of Understanding to bolster child rights legislation and parliamentary oversight across Pakistan.
The MoU was signed on behalf of the Parliamentary Caucus by Acting Secretary of the National Assembly, Saeed Ahmed, and on behalf of SSDO by Executive Director Syed Kausar Abbas. The signing ceremony was attended by Convenor of the Parliamentary Caucus, Dr. Nikhat Shakeel Khan, Parliamentary Secretary for Economic Affairs Ms. Zeb Jaffar, Parliamentary Secretary for Water Resources Ms. Rana Ansar, MNA Dr. Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, Parliamentary Secretary for Federal Education and Professional Training, National Heritage and Culture Ms. Farah Naz Akbar, Programs Director of SSDO Ms. Maryam Jawad, and officers from the National Assembly Secretariat.
Under the agreement the parties reaffirmed Pakistan’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and committed to ensuring the Best Interests of the Child guide legislative, policy and oversight work. The partnership places emphasis on research-driven approaches to child rights, targeting child protection, child trafficking, juvenile justice, child labour, early marriage and child abuse as priority areas for evidence-based parliamentary action.
The collaboration will support Child Rights Budget Analyses and the presentation of evidence-based recommendations to relevant Standing Committees while facilitating constructive engagement with concerned ministries and national child rights institutions. By combining parliamentary reach with SSDO’s research capacity, the MoU aims to strengthen the use of data and analysis in lawmaking and policy review.
Members of the National Assembly at the ceremony highlighted the urgent need for reliable, up-to-date data on child trafficking, exploitation and abuse, stressing that sound legislation and meaningful oversight depend on quality evidence. Acting Secretary Saeed Ahmed underlined the importance of research-driven lawmaking and called for full use of analytical reports produced through this partnership to craft effective measures for the welfare and protection of children across Pakistan.
