Juvenile Justice at Adiala Jail During NCHR’s inquiry into Central Jail (Adiala) Rawalpindi, NCHR took suo moto notice of the large number of under-trial juvenile prisoners. NCHR found that these juvenile prisoners were suffering due to the lack of implementation of the Juvenile Justice System Act, 2018. The Juvenile Justice Act 2018 provides for the concept of diversion as an alternate process for socio-psychological rehabilitation of juvenile delinquents without resorting to prison incarceration. It is through the process of diversion that juvenile offenders are sent to a Rehabilitation Center for their training and psychological development. To date no Rehabilitation Center has been set up as per the requirement of the law and children are simply housed in separate wards within jail premises. Furthermore, under the Act, Rules are to be framed. However, draft Rules forwarded by Ministry of Human Rights are pending with Ministry of Interior. Additionally, NCHR learnt that while Juvenile Justice committee have been established in Sindh and some divisions in KP and Punjab, no Committee had been notified in ICT. Thus, NCHR ran an awareness campaign on the issue, highlighting Sections of the Act that needed to be implemented including the right to legal assistance by the State which NCHR was able to provide due to the pro bono services of lawyer Mr. Haseeb Sultan to resolve the cases expeditiously. Following NCHR’s campaign the juvenile justice committees were notified in Islamabad for the administration of the JJSA 2018. 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence According to the Ministry of Human Rights 63,000 cases of violence against women were registered in the country in last 3 years. Pakistan ranks as one of the most dangerous places in the world for women. Statistics vary, but according to World Bank data almost one in three married Pakistani women report facing physical violence from their husbands although informal estimates are much higher. Despite several important legislations, patriarchy and discrimination continue to hamper women’s progress. Pakistan is at an even more critical stage post the floods where the poverty, uncertainty and lack of occupational activity of 33 million displaced persons creates a fertile ground for increased vulnerability and intolerance. NCHR’s mandate is to support the most vulnerable of the vulnerable. 36

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