Pakistan’s child protection leadership took centre stage at the South Asia Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children in Colombo, where Chairperson of the Child Protection & Welfare Bureau, MPA Sarah Ahmad (T.I.), represented the country alongside Secretary Human Rights Abdul Khaliq Sheikh and Director General Human Rights Muhammad Arshad.
The gathering brought together ministers, secretaries and senior officials from across South Asia to discuss stronger regional cooperation on protecting children from violence. Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Dr. Harini Amarasuriya attended the event as chief guest, while the conference was jointly organized by SAARC, UNICEF and the World Health Organization.
During her presentation, Sarah Ahmad outlined Pakistan’s progress in child protection reforms, including the strengthening of child protection systems, the expansion of services for vulnerable children, and the promotion of positive parenting approaches. She also shared updates on efforts to improve online child safety and the development of a National Strategic Action Plan on Violence Against Children.
Her participation highlighted Pakistan’s growing engagement in regional dialogue on child welfare and prevention of abuse. The forum served as an important platform for South Asian countries to exchange ideas, align priorities and reinforce collective action for safer childhoods across the region.
Sarah Ahmad also expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister of Pakistan for nominating her to represent the country at the high-level regional conference. She reaffirmed that Pakistan remains committed to ensuring every child grows up safe, protected and able to reach their full potential.
