Minister for safeguarding rights of underprivileged sections of society

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Human Rights Riaz Hussain Pirzada has said that his ministry will effectively utilise all available resources and forums to safeguard the rights of the underprivileged segments of the society.

While chairing a high-level meeting at the Ministry of Human Rights to get a detailed briefing on the working of all wings and attached departments of the ministry here on Thursday, the minister urged the officers to serve diligently for the cause of human rights to bring positive social change from the platform of the ministry.

While discussing the current situation of human rights in the country and the international significance of the subject, the minister issued various instructions to the heads of different projects to ensure protection of rights of the downtrodden and most disadvantaged segments of the society such as minorities, transgender persons, minor children, women, and persons with disabilities.

The minister, particularly, advised the officers concerned to get updated data from all the federal ministries and the departments on observing the two percent employment quota reserved for disabled persons. He said that the ministry would take every necessary step to implement this quota and other regional quotas that are prescribed under rules, so that all regions have their fair and equitable representation in government institutions.

On the discussion of the establishment of the commission under the Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Act, 2021, the minister desired to have an early interaction with journalists who contributed in the draft bill to know their feedback on current developments with respect to commission and other issues they are facing in the discharge of their professional duties.

Further, he enquired about the awareness campaigns that are run under the ministry. He emphasized on creating and disseminating more stuff through all media platforms particularly on inherence rights of women, rights of inmates and jail reforms. He asked to conduct seminars and trainings sessions for different stakeholders especially for students in universities all over Pakistan to make them aware to raise voice against discrimination and violation of rights in society.

In addition to this, the minister assigned the duty to the DG Child Protection Institute to collect relevant information and data on ongoing research on child pornography and submit her recommendations that how the ministry can contribute to such kind of research to control this lethal menace.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022