PESHAWAR, Pakistan: A delegation from UNICEF visited the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Child Protection and Welfare Commission (KPCPWC) to review ongoing initiatives and enhance coordination aimed at strengthening child protection systems in the province.

The visit focused on improving collaboration between government institutions and development partners to support child welfare programmes and community-level protection mechanisms across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The delegation included Jennifer Melton, Chief Child Protection UNICEF Pakistan, and Bushra Ajmal, Head of Child Protection UNICEF Peshawar. The visit began with a meeting with Secretary Social Welfare Department Sharif Hussain, where discussions centred on coordination, system strengthening, and joint programming.

During the visit, the delegation also travelled to Village Council Badizai, where a Broad-Based Community Meeting was held to support the formation of Community-Based Child Protection Committees under the Child Friendly Communities Initiatives, a UNICEF-supported programme.

Community members, including adolescents, participated in the session, highlighting the role of local engagement in ensuring child safety and protection.

At the KPCPWC office, Additional Chief Ijaz Muhammad Khan briefed the delegation on key achievements, ongoing interventions, and field-level progress, along with operational challenges and areas requiring further support.

UNICEF representatives appreciated the commission’s efforts and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting child protection initiatives in the province.

Officials said the visit concluded with an agreement to further strengthen collaboration to improve child protection systems and ensure the well-being of children in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.