Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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302. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the case of a person (details supplied) which is receiving international attention; if he will contact the Government of Pakistan regarding the plight of the person; if the person will be granted asylum here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41160/20]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department is aware of this case  and has liaised with our Embassy in Ankara, which is accredited to Pakistan.  No request for assistance or application for asylum has been made to date.

The case raises serious issues and I would like to reiterate Ireland's commitment to the protection of the rights of children both at home and abroad.  The Government attaches great importance to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which both Ireland and Pakistan have ratified, and which is central to the protection and promotion of children’s rights on a global level. We would expect Pakistan to fully adhere to the commitments of this Convention. 

Ireland is already active on this issue and is to the fore, leading on UN Resolutions on the Rights of the Child and co-sponsored a UN Resolution specifically on the issue of child, early and forced marriage. This Resolution urges States to enact and enforce laws to ensure that marriage is entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses and there is a legal framework to ensure it is age appropriate.   

Human rights, including women’s rights, are raised regularly in the EU’s bilateral dialogue with Pakistan, most recently during the EU-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue on 3 November. The EU Special Representative for Human Rights Eamon Gilmore has also had discussions with Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Human Rights. Ireland looks forward to participating in preparations for the next EU-Pakistan Joint Commission planned in early 2021.