One Day Consultation on National Human Rights Policy Framework in Pakistan

• October 29, 2014
• 0 Comments
• SPO

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 produced a consolidated National Human Rights Policy Framework (NHRPF). To further strengthen this document and hold wider stakeholder consultations, SPO is going to implement a yearlong project supported by National Endowment for Democracy (NED). 

The overall objective of the intervention is to facilitate promotion and defence of human rights and the rules of law through introduction of human rights policy framework in the country. Following are the specific objectives of the intervention: 

1. To prepare a draft NHRPF for discussion and incorporation with stakeholder recommendations.
2. To consolidate stakeholder recommendations in the draft NHRPF
3. To present a consolidated NHRPF to the Government to adopt it. 

There will be four provincial consultations in every province and there will be one for national consultation under this project. The participants will be human rights activists, local intelligentsia and other relevant stakeholders to ponder upon the draft NHRPF. Recommendations from these consultations will be incorporated in the final NHRPF and will be shared with the Government for adoption. 

In this connection SPO in collaboration with MoLJ&HR arranged its first ever consultation meeting in Peshawar on 16^th of October 2014. The event was attended by all relevant government department officials and civil society representatives. The Director General, MoL,J&HR gave the briefing to 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 valuable suggestions to be incorporated in the draft. This consultation concluded on a positive note and endorsed the need for a National Human Rights Policy for the country.