Children Complaint Office

REACH: Responsible Enabling Accountable Systems for Children’s Rights

There is a general consensus among most development practitioners in Pakistan that children are at a high risk of having their rights violated. While there are many economic, social and structural causes, a major factor resulting in violations of child rights is the lack of dedicated forums to receive and resolve children’s complaints and the lack of accountability mechanisms for institutions charged with the responsibility of protecting children’s rights.

Article 12 of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) states that ‘a child shall in particular be provided the opportunity to be heard in any judicial and administrative proceedings affecting the child, either directly, or through a representative or an appropriate body, in a manner consistent with the procedural rules of national law’.
The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child further stresses that ‘every state needs an independent human rights institution with responsibility for promoting and protecting children’s rights.’

In compliance with the above, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Wafaqi Mohtasib (Ombudsman) of Pakistan joined hands to address issues regarding children’s rights by setting up a Children’s Complaints Office. The CCO aims to provide children with a voice in matters relating to them and work for the promotion and protection of their rights in Pakistan as well as promoting accountability of public institutions charged with the responsibility of child protection.

Children's Complaint Office (CCO)

The Children’s Complaint Office established under the Responsible, Enabling and Accountable Systems for Children’s Rights (REACH) project serves as a dedicated mechanism for receiving and resolving complaints from and about children against maladministration by any federal agency. CCO will facilitate the government of Pakistan implement the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), with special reference to Article 12. Furthermore, it also accords Pakistan the privilege of establishing the first children’s Ombudsman office in South Asia.

Complaints and Investigations

The Children’s Complaint Office can investigate and redress any injustice done to a child (up to 18 years) through mal-administration of a federal agency such as a school, hospital or law enforcing agency.