Pakistan's launch of its first National Strategy to End Violence Against Children (2026-2031) is a significant policy development. Launched in Islamabad on October 14 by the Ministry of Human Rights, in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the strategy adopts the internationally recognised INSPIRE framework to strengthen prevention, protection, response, recovery and access to justice for children.
It was presented during a national consultation organised with Unicef. The need is undeniable.
According to the strategy, up to eight in ten children in Pakistan experience violent discipline, while millions remain exposed to child labour, exploitation and other forms of violence. Yet the real measure of government commitment is not the strategy it launches, but the laws it enforces and the protection it delivers to children.
National strategies make for excellent public relations, but announcements and policy documents mean little without action. The real measure of a government's commitment is the laws it enforces, the institutions it holds accountable and the protection it delivers to children.
The real measure of success is the way child protection works on the ground. Pakistan is not short of laws, policies or institutional mandates relating to children.
The challenge is implementation. When a child is rescued from trafficking or exploitation, is safe accommodation available?
Can the child access medical care, psychosocial support and legal assistance? Who ensures rehabilitation continues after the immediate crisis?
These questions determine whether a child is genuinely protected or merely removed from one dangerous situation without adequate support. A child protection system cannot function when institutions operate in isolation.
Police may identify a child in need of protection, but an effective response also requires social welfare services, healthcare professionals, legal authorities and rehabilitation providers. The government must establish clear responsibilities, allocate adequate resources and set measurable targets.
National policy must translate into practical provincial and local arrangements, with corrective measures when institutions fail. The INSPIRE framework recognises that preventing violence against children requires more than law enforcement.
Training professionals and raising public awareness are important, but cannot substitute for functioning services, adequate staffing and institutional accountability. A law cannot deliver justice if it is not implemented.
Children employed in private households are among the country's least visible workers. Their employers are spread across neighbourhoods, and exploitation can remain hidden until a child suffers serious injury or abuse.
The National Commission on the Rights of the Child (NCRC) has acknowledged the absence of a database registering child domestic workers. Although provincial surveys provide some estimates, the true scale of the problem remains difficult to establish.
Without reliable data, the government cannot assess the scale of the problem, allocate resources or measure progress. Legislation alone will not end exploitation.
Provincial laws differ, and the legal position on domestic work must be distinguished from the laws governing other forms of child labour. Where employment is prohibited, the law must be enforced; where legal gaps remain, they must be addressed.
Ultimately, the protection of children is a collective responsibility that requires sustained political will. Without a robust mechanism to monitor progress and hold stakeholders accountable, these policy documents risk becoming mere rhetoric.
The children of Pakistan deserve a system that prioritises their safety over bureaucratic formalities.