By Naila Batool
ISLAMABAD: An important meeting titled “The Child Protectors of Pakistan” was held in Islamabad to discuss measures aimed at making children in Pakistan safer, strengthening child protection systems and increasing awareness to prevent abuse against children.
The meeting discussed the promotion of child protection awareness and training at the school level. Participants stressed that practical training material and awareness manuals should be developed for teachers, parents and the media so they can better understand the issues faced by children and provide timely support.
Various points of an initial manual being prepared were also discussed. Participants said it was necessary to listen to children carefully, cooperate with them and avoid scolding or harsh punishment. They said parents and teachers should also observe changes in children’s behaviour and emotions, as sudden behavioural or emotional changes may sometimes indicate a problem.
According to the participants, parents’ training should particularly include guidance on understanding children’s behaviour, giving them a sense of confidence and protection, and supporting them by listening to their concerns instead of scolding them in times of difficulty.
The meeting also emphasised that action after incidents alone was not sufficient for child protection. Prior awareness, better communication, emotional support and safety training were also necessary, the participants said.
Dr Rahim Awan, Anila Ayaz Chaudhry, Syed Ishtiaq Gilani, Mehwish Gilani, Naila Batool, Waqas Wajid, Atif Mughal, Farah Bajwa, Adnan Bukhari, Afshan Kiani, Saeed Akhtar and Dr Taimoor attended the meeting.
Participants agreed on the need to take forward the preparation of proposed manuals on child protection and to make awareness and training initiatives for teachers, parents and the media more effective.
