Assessing Human Rights Commissions: A Comparative Study is a report, published by the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) which presents a detailed comparative analysis of human rights commissions in Pakistan. It scrutinizes the mandates and functions of the NCHR, the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW), and the National Commission on the Rights of the Child (NCRC), juxtaposing their roles and achievements with those of their global counterparts. Read Assessing Human
Child Rights in Focus
“Child Marriage in Balochistan: A Political Economy Analysis and Policy Options” is part of a series of studies commissioned by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and conducted by the Population Council. These studies aim to examine the political economy dynamics surrounding child marriage in different provinces of Pakistan. In the case of Balochistan, the report delves into the discourse and practices surrounding child marriage, which are deeply rooted in sociocultural narratives about marriage
The eradication of child marriage is an important and acknowledged challenge for global policy. A child marriage is defined as a marriage or union of a girl or boy under the age of 18 (UNICEF, 2017). Whereas child marriage is a human rights violation and affects both genders, it affects girls disproportionately (UNICEF 2014). It is quite often the consequence of an entrenched gender inequality especially in South Asian countries. The disproportionate impact of
In a joint initiative, the Centre for Human Rights and the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative partnered with Axis Law Chambers to produce a comprehensive report. The Strategic Litigation Report delves into federal and provincial legislation, as well as judicial precedents, pertaining to marriage rights and family laws in Pakistan. Through meticulous analysis, the report highlights key areas that strategic litigation can address, such as the establishment of a uniform minimum age
The “Federal Sexual Violence Response Framework” (FSVRF) is a comprehensive compendium that outlines primary, secondary, and tertiary responses to incidents of sexual violence. This unique framework provides concrete actions for relevant government functionaries and civil society organizations, covering prevention, victim protection, prosecution of sexual offenses, and victim rehabilitation. The FSVRF takes into account various legislative interventions, such as the Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Act 2021, and consolidates relevant legislation, judicial guidelines, and good practices
In the wake of the devastating 2022 monsoon floods in Sindh, The Knowledge Forum (TKF), in partnership with the Sindh chapter of the National Commission on Human Rights (NCHR), has conducted a rapid assessment to document the plight and champion the rights of the affected vulnerable communities, with a special focus on children, who are often the most impacted in such calamities. This assessment aims to shed light on the urgent needs and rights of
The initial findings from a post-mortem report on August 20, 2023 revealed that the Khairpur housemaid, whose death occurred under mysterious circumstances, had been subjected to a sexual assault. This was reported by Daily Dawn on August 21, 2023. Dr. Irshad Memon, the Director General of Health Services, stated that a six-member team conducted the post-mortem examination of the nine-year-old domestic worker after her body was exhumed. The cause of the girl’s death is
This Rapid Assessment examines child labour at automobile repair workshops in Pakistan, with a view to providing updated information on its magnitude, identifying factors that push children into this form of child labour and reviewing national efforts to address the phenomenon. Based on its findings, it offers recommendations for policy design, implementation and action by stakeholders to eliminate and prevent child labour in automobile repair workshops. The assessment was commissioned by the International Labour
14-year-old Rizwana was allegedly subjected to brutal torment over a sustained period of some six months by her employer in Islamabad. When her parents received Rizwana, the child was in critical condition. They went to the police station to lodge a first information report (FIR) against the employer, the wife of a civil judge . After showing reluctance, Islamabad police registered the FIR on July 26. Initially, the police booked the employer for criminal
Mahira Khan has raised her voice for all victims of child labour — calling the practice illegal, wrong and unethical. In a video shared by fellow actor Nadia Jamil on Twitter, Khan made an appeal to people to stop encouraging child labour and to raise their voices against the abuse of child labourers. Her plea comes after the brutal torture of a teenage girl named Rizwana who worked as a maid in Islamabad. Somia Asim, the
Hailing from Gharo, Lachmi, aged two months and weighing just eight kilogrammes, was brought to our clinic by her very worried mother, who reported that she was not able to breastfeed Lachmi as she could not afford meals most days. Lachmi underwent various tests before being diagnosed with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM). She was given 12 sachets of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) regularly for a few weeks, after which Lachmi returned with significant improvements
Police in the G-15 sector of Islamabad have apprehended a woman on allegations of subjecting her 13-year-old domestic helper to torture. As stated by law enforcement officials, the accused individual, who is linked with an online business enterprise, was detained based on accusations raised by the maid’s mother, Khalida Bibi, hailing from Chiniot in Punjab. The accused was brought before a magistrate’s court and subsequently sent to Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi under judicial custody.