Independent Report
Islamabad, January 16, 2026: Pakistan presented its sixth and seventh combined reports under the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), along with its initial report under the Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution, and Child Pornography (OPSC), to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva.
The Pakistani delegation was led by Minister of State for Law and Justice, Barrister Aqeel Malik, and included Secretary Ministry of Human Rights Abdul Khaliq Sheikh, Chairperson Punjab Child Protection and Welfare Bureau Sarah Ahmed, and Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Bilal Ahmed.
The delegation highlighted key legal and policy reforms, including provincial child marriage restraint laws setting the minimum marriage age at 18, legislation criminalizing online child sexual exploitation and cyberbullying, establishment of day-care centers, specialized juvenile justice courts, and Zainab Alert Response and Recovery Agency (ZARRA) initiatives.
Officials also briefed the committee on food security, education, and health programs such as the Benazir Nashonuma Program and the National Educational Emergency, aimed at addressing malnutrition and out-of-school children. Pakistan reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring children’s dignity, protection, and well-being across the country while strengthening reporting, monitoring, and follow-up mechanisms in line with international best practices.
