1. BACKGROUND
Article 4 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child obliges States parties to “undertake all appropriate legislative, administrative and other measures for the implementation of the rights recognized in the present Convention”. Independent National Human Rights Institutions (NHRI’s) are an important mechanism to promote and ensure the implementation of the Convention on the Right of the Child (CRC). The Committee on the Rights of the Child (the Committee) considers the establishment of such bodies to fall within the commitment made by States parties upon ratification to ensure the implementation of the Convention and advance the universal realization of children’s rights.
In addition, the United Nations General Assembly and the Commission on Human Rights already called for the establishment of national human rights institutions, underlining the important role NHRIs play in promoting and protecting human rights and enhancing public awareness of those rights. The 1993 World Conference on Human Rights reaffirmed in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action “... the important and constructive role played by national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights”, and encouraged “... the establishment and strengthening of national institutions”.
Realizing its commitment under CRC, the State of Pakistan has recently established a National Commission on the Rights of Child (NCRC) through the Act XXXII of 2017. The preamble of the Act says; “WHEREAS it is expedient to set up a National Commission on the rights of the child in accordance with international obligations and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereof.”
2. RATIONALE OF THE CONSULTANCY
One of key functions of the NCRC is to examine existing or proposed legislations and administrative instruments and proposals related to child rights and make such recommendations, as it deems appropriate. Also the core function of the NCRC is the oversight of government institutions and systems at a federation and provincial level responsible for enforcing child rights per their mandate.
3. OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSULTANCY
Based on the above-mentioned premise, the objective of this assignment is to prepare NCRC policy briefs to advocate for policy, legislative and institutional reforms on child rights issues in Pakistan at federal and provincial level in line with the international commitments of Pakistan (CRC, Optional Protocols, ILO Conventions).
4. TOPICS OF THE POLICY BRIEFS
The NCRC has identified keys emerging child rights’ and protection issues to issue Policy Briefs on:
i. Assessment of the Institutional Framework for Child Protection in Pakistan
ii. Child Rights in Digital Space
iii. Assessment of the National Framework to Enroll Out of School Children in Pakistan
iv. Impact of Personal Laws on Guardianship and Legal Adoption of Children
v. Mainstreaming Children with Disability in Pakistan
vi. Effectiveness of Child Help-lines in Pakistan
5. STRUCTURE AND SCOPE OF THE WORK
The policy briefs should be logically structured, contain context, rationale, a set of specific recommendations, and identify the necessary actions as way forward for all relevant stakeholders including policy makers, government and CSOs. Each policy document should identify stakeholders and present the national and provincial perspective to identify gaps at federal and provincial level in existing policy and legal frameworks.
6. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Consultant/Consultants will do the following:
NCRC will provide the logistical and technical support to the Consultant in preparing Policy Briefs.
7. CONSULTANCY FEE
The Consultant will receive a remuneration of Rs.500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand rupees) for each policy brief.
8. DURATION OF THE WORK
20-40 Consultancy days
9. QUALIFICATION OF THE CONSULTANT:
10. APPLICATION
Interested candidates are requested to apply with the topic of their interest in their application of the Consultancy. One candidate can apply for maximum two policy briefs.
National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) was established in July, 2002 as a federal statutory body. It is a fast-track initiative to improve social sector outcomes at the grass-roots. With a ranking of 144 on the UNDP�s Human Development Index, out of a total of 178 countries, Pakistan faces enormous challenges at the beginning of the new millennium. Poverty, illiteracy, lack of health care facilities and a continuously soaring population have for long hampered the scope of generating improved social sector outcomes for the millions of Pakistanis living at the grassroots. Attempts made in the past to address these issues have often been marred by the lack of political will, economic & political instability and inadequate capacity of the implementing agencies which further exasperated the already dismal state of human development in the country. A Task Force on Human Development was established in June 2001. It was designed to find innovative solutions to improve and fill implementation gaps in social service delivery at the grassroots in the sector of Education, Health and Poverty Alleviation.