Search For Justice, a member of the GNRC, organized a media briefing on 17th October 2018 at Lahore Press Club, Pakistan to observe the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (IDEP). During the briefing the need for social protection as a basic human right for children as enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC Articles 26-27) was discussed. “Based on the Convention, children have the right to social security and an adequate standard of living, both of which can be guaranteed for children and families who live in poverty through publicly-funded social protection programs,” noted Ms. Rashida Qureshi of Search For Justice.
Search For Justice urged the state to pursue all appropriate legislative, administrative, and other measures for the implementation of the rights recognized in the convention. They noted that the government has a moral duty to uphold the social, economic, and cultural rights and norms of the country which contribute to ending child poverty in the country. They added that the Punjab Government should set measures to acquire, produce and secure resources of the government that will prevent the country from falling into poverty.
Members noted that an estimated 1 billion children live in poverty globally – that is 1 out of every 2 children in the whole world. They called upon the community to mobilise their efforts to end poverty and join the global community in addressing this important issue.
