Peshawar  -   To ensure the protection and welfare of children in the merged tribal areas, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has inaugurated a Child Protection Unit (CPU) in district Khyber.

The aim of the unit is to safeguard and promote the rights of children, providing prevention and response to cases of child abuse, neglect, and exploitation. On the occasion, chief guest of the inaugural ceremony was Additional Secretary Social Welfare Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Muhammad Farooq.

Addressing the event, the additional secretary said that establishment of this CPU reflected the government’s strong commitment to ensuring protection of children at risk and fostering a safer environment for the most vulnerable members of society. He appreciated the Department of Social Welfare for the successful inauguration of the Child Protection Units Khyber.

The establishment of CPU is a direct response to this persistent need, he said adding that children face various forms of abuse, neglect, and exploitation in society and it is joint responsibility of all to build stronger systems to protect them from all forms of abuse and exploitation. This unit would focus on identifying, preventing, and responding to child at risk, ensuring their fundamental rights to life, development, participation, and protection, he noted.

Farooq also stressed the importance of collective action in addressing the complex challenges of child abuse, violence, exploitation, and neglect. He urged all relevant line departments to closely collaborate with the CPU Khyber and emphasised the significance of building strong partnerships with parents and communities to create a protective environment for children.

He thanked UNICEF, especially Sohail Ahmad Child Protection Specialist for his continuous technical and financial support for the child protection in tribal districts, and hoped this partnership would continue in future. He assured to provide every possible support on behalf of the government to protect child rights.

DC Khyber Sana Ullah Khan said that establishment of CPU was a direct response to protect needs of child at risk. He said the district administration also emphasised its ongoing commitment to supporting the CPU and ensuring that all necessary resources were available to uphold the rights of children in Khyber. He added that District Child Protection Committees has been notified in the district under KP Child Protection Act 2010, chaired by the DC to uphold children’s rights.

Ejaz Khan, Dy Chief/Protection Officer KP-CPWC, highlighted the importance and implementation of the Child Protection and Welfare Act 2010 emphasising that it provides essential protection for all children in the province, irrespective of their status and nationalities. He presented The Journey of Child Protection System development in KP with focused of the Child Protection data in merged tribal districts, and shared statistics of district Khyber with participants.

Reshma Afridi - President of the Female Community-Based Child Protection Committees (CB-CPC), shared her experience with the participants. Now, as the President of the CB-CPC, formally established under the KP Child Protection Act 2010, she and her committee have gained legal standing, highlighting the Government’s commitment to empowering communities to protect children’s rights and create a safer environment at the grassroots level.

The Director of Social Welfare, Muhammad Naeem expressed his appreciation to the participants for attending the event. He also extended his thanks to UNICEF for their ongoing support in strengthening the Child Protection Units in merged tribal districts. He acknowledged UNICEF’s valuable contributions to building the capacity of staff, enhancing the effectiveness of the Community-Based Child Protection Committees (CB-CPC), and supporting district-level trainings initiatives for the social workforce.