The provincial government had introduced the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Child Protection and Welfare (Amendment) Ordinance, 2016 promulgated by the Governor last month in the house.
Through the ordinance, the government amended Section 12 of the Child Protection and Welfare Act, 2010. Under the ordinance, the Child Protection Institutions will not only provide the children at risk with accommodation, treatment, maintenance, and facility for education, but also provide them the facility of development of their character and abilities and give them necessary training for protecting themselves against moral dangers or exploitations.
Under the amendment, the Child Protection Institutions will be managed, maintained and controlled by an Independent Institute Management Committee, consisting of such number of officials and non-official members as the government may prescribe by rules.
The non-official members will have such qualifications and will be appointed for such period as may be prescribed by the government.
For the purpose of the provision of necessary training to protect them from moral dangers or exploitation, the institute management committee will be making policies for Child Protection Institution and ensure that the performance of the institution and its programmes are efficient and effective. The management committee will make laws for running the affairs of the child protection institute, ensuring that the objectives of the child protection policy are achieved; overseeing the effective management and providing strategic direction to the child protection institution; approval of financial plans and annual budget of the child protection institute; raising funds through donations and grants for the activities of the child protection institution.
The Institute Management Committee will also be responsible for making bye-laws for appointment, terms and conditions of service and disciplinary matters for the employees of a child protection institution; approval of the vision and mission statement of the child protection institution; approval of annual business plan, review and approval of major transaction, approval of new programmes and services and monitoring organisational performance.
It will also approve, programmes and services to ensure that the child protection institution fulfils legal, regulatory and accreditation requirements, constitute executive committee, finance committee, recruitment committees, or sub-committees, as may be required and co-ordinate with non-governmental organisations or civil society organisations and philanthropists for sponsoring the child or children enrolled in the Child Protection Institution, as the case may be.