Consultation on National Human Rights Policy Framework and policy principles in collaboration with Ministry of Law, Justice & Human Rights (MoL, J&HR. Quetta)
The Strengthening Participatory Organisation (SPO) held a National Consultation about a year ago to devise the National Human Rights Policy Framework and policy principles in collaboration with Ministry of Law, Justice & Human Rights (MoL,J&HR). The National consultation resulted a consolidated National Human Rights Policy Framework (NHRPF). To further strengthen this document and hold wider stakeholder consultations, SPO is implementing a yearlong project which is supported by National Endowment for Democracy (NED).
The overall objective of the intervention is to facilitate in promoting and defence of human rights and the rule of law through introduction of human rights policy framework in the country. Following are the specific objectives of the interventions:
- To prepare a draft NHRPF for discussion and incorporation of stakeholder recommendations.
- To consolidate stakeholder recommendations in the draft NHRPF
- To present a consolidated NHRPF to the government for adoption
Under this project four provincial consultations and one national consultation will be held all over the country. The participants will be human rights activists, local intelligentsia and other relevant stakeholders to examine and propose recommendations in the draft NHRPF. Recommendations from these consultations will be incorporated in the final NHRPF, which will be shared with the Government for adoption.
In this connection SPO in collaboration with MoLJ&HR arranged its Fourthconsultative meeting at Quetta on 07th January 2014. The panellists of the event included Dr. Abdul Malik Baloch, Chief Minister – Baluchistan, Mr. Muhammad Arshad, Director General – Ministry of Law Justice & Human Rights Islamabad and Mr. Mukhtiar Chhalghari, Regional Head SPO Quetta. The event was attended by all relevant Government Departments, Civil Society representatives and local Intelligentsia. The Director General, MoL, J &HR briefed the participants about the purpose and need of National Human Rights Policy Framework in Pakistan. He further explained the Ministry’s commitment on getting the draft policy approved by the Federal Cabinet. The participants discussed the draft policy at length and shared their suggestions to be incorporated in the draft. The consultation concluded on a positive note and Dr. Abdul Malik Baloch, Chief Minister Baluchistan endorsed the need for a National Human Rights Policy for the country.