Dr. Atta Ul Mustafa

Experience

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  Self-employed

  Dec 2008 - now

  Human Rights Consultant

  Started as a litigation lawyer in lower courts, specializing in civil law, inheritance disputes, property and land acquisition, family laws, climate justice, and energy law.Transitioned to international human rights law, focusing on UN treaty bodies, Universal Periodic Review, Special Procedures, and the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions. Managed cases involving women's rights, children's rights, transgender rights, business and human rights, violence against women and children, enforced disappearances, custodial torture, the death penalty, and climate justice through national and international mechanisms.Legal Reform and Collaboration:Extensive experience in reviewing and reforming laws, policies, and practices related to human rights and child protection. Drafted numerous bills and amendments at federal and provincial levels, enhancing national human rights and child protection systems. Collaborated with UN organizations, government ministries, departments, and NHRIs to support the Parliamentary SDGs Secretariat, NCHR, NCRC, and other bodies. Focused on law compliance with human rights conventions and reforming laws to strengthen NHRIs according to the Paris Principles.UN Reporting:Expert in reporting, including situation analysis, policy briefs, thematic reports, treaty body reporting, alternative reports, and confidential UN reports. Advised UNDP, UNICEF, the EU, NCHR, NCRC, NGOs, and INGOs on compliance with UN treaties (CEDAW, ICCPR, ICESR, UNCAT, UNCRC, OPSC, OPAC). Conducted specialized training and capacity-building on human rights protection systems.Strengthening NHRIs:Worked with NCHR and NCRC to enhance capacities per the Paris Principles. Assisted in strategic planning, alternative reporting, law review, complaint handling, and parliamentary business operations. Show less

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  ISLAMIC HELP UK

  Jan 2009 - Jun 2010

  Country Manager Pakistan

  Under the supervision of the Country Director, i was able to get Islamic Help registered in Pakistan, established linkages and partnerships with UNICEF, OCHA and handled flood emergency and earthquake emergency by providing necessary WASH, education, food, shelter and health services in humanitarian settings.

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  UNDP PAKISTAN

  Sept 2009 - Jan 2010

  National Consultant on Human Rights

  On behalf of UNDP Pakistan, I was able to support Ministry of Human Rights in conducting desk review of international human rights commitments, developed plan of action to improve compliance and conducted focus group discussions. These activities were carried out in a project titled Strengthening, enabling and coordinating Rights and empowerment in Pakistan (SECURE-Pakistan Project)).

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  International Islamic University Islamabad Pakistan

  Aug 2010 - now

  Lecturer of Law

  To strengthen academia-industry relations to promote human rights education, i deliver lectures in various public sector universities to undergraduate and postgraduate law students in areas of international protection of human rights, UN human rights mechanisms and UPR, children’s rights in international human rights law.Designed, developed first LLM in International Human Rights Law programme at the Law Department, IIUI in 2009. Collaborated with Higher Education Commission, Bar Councils and Directorate of Lega Education in mainstreaming human rights education Show less

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  National Commission on Human Rights, Islamic Republic of Pakistan

  Aug 2015 - May 2019

  Technical Advisor

  Served as an Advisor to the Chairman of the National Commission on Human Rights, the first-ever NHRI of Pakistan mandated by the Paris Principles. This unique experience involved addressing challenges such as limited resources, lack of technical expertise, inadequate operational support, and weak public credibility. In this role, I supported NCHR in developing its expertise in advocacy and promotion of human rights, protection and monitoring of human rights violations, legal and legislative reform, and interaction with UN human rights mechanisms.Key Contributions:• Established and enhanced office operations, programs, complaint redressal mechanisms, treaty bodies reporting, UPR submissions, and engagement with the Treaties Implementation Cell.• Provided institutional and technical capacity building, and coordinated with OHCHR, Special Rapporteurs, EU, APF, and UN agencies.Child Protection:• Led the child protection program, focusing on strengthening the child protection system through integrated case management and referral systems, and reforming laws, policies, rules, and the CRVS system.• Supervised the review of over 100 national and provincial laws for compliance with UNCRC, OPSC, and OPAC, identifying gaps and recommending reforms. This study was supported by the Social Policy Section, UNICEF, and the SDGs Parliamentary Task Force.• Authored alternative reports for NCHR on the implementation of ICCPR, ICESR, UNCAT, UNCRC, and UPR, and drafted numerous laws related to child protection and human rights.Legislative Drafting:• Drafted numerous laws and rules for NCHR, focusing on child protection and CRVS-related legislation and policies.Human Rights Education:• Assisted NCHR to promote human rights education in public sector universities, collaborated with Higher Education Commission, Bar Councils, Legal Education Forums, Primary, Secondary and Higher Education Settings in mainstreaming human rights education in curricula etc. Show less

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  UNICEF

  May 2019 - May 2020

  Child Protection Specialist

  Served as a Child Protection Specialist at the UNICEF Country Office in Pakistan, supporting the Child Protection Section in strengthening the National Commission on the Rights of the Child (NCRC). This involved monitoring, reporting, referring, and redressing cases of children's rights violations in various settings, including children in transit and at-risk categories.Key Contributions:• Authored an alternative report on behalf of UNICEF Pakistan, assessing the implementation of the Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution, and Child Pornography.• Contributed to the COVID-19 response for children deprived of liberty in Pakistan, resulting in a policy brief in collaboration with UNODC. This effort led to a mapping exercise of the justice sector for children, the release of detained children, and the provision of MHPSS services during the pandemic.• Strengthened child protection case management and referral systems to prevent and respond to violence against children in both development and humanitarian contexts. Supervised, drafted, and reviewed child protection laws, rules, and policies for better compliance with the UNCRC and comprehensive CPCMRS and CPIMS.• Successfully completed child protection law reforms in the province of Sindh, with substantial progress in Punjab and KPK.• Monitored the implementation and progress of project activities, preparing reports for UNICEF and other stakeholders.Partnerships and Advocacy:• Represented UNICEF in various forums, including UNCT, UNHRTF, and the EU, building partnerships for child protection.• Participated in monitoring and evaluation exercises (mid-term/annual reviews) with governments, development partners, and implementing partners.• Contributed to situation analysis reports on children, policy briefs, and reviewed laws and SOPs on CPCMRS. Authored numerous LoIs and work plans. Show less

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  National Commission on the Rights of Child Pakistan

  Sept 2022 - Feb 2023

  Senior Legal Advisor

  To strengthen NCRC in accordance with Paris Principles and General Comment # 2 of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, I supported NCRC in developing its legal and complaint sections, complaint handling system and procedures, reviewed NCRC’s law and rules to enhance its effectiveness, represented NCRC before courts and finalised strategic plan for NCRC. I also had opportunity to draft amendment bill to NCRC’s law, reviewed provincial child protection policies, reformed provincial child protection laws and examined procedures related to CPCMRS and CRVS. Show less

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  UNICEF

  Mar 2024 - Apr 2024

  National Consultant on Convention on the Rights of the Child's Report

  I led the process of preparing confidential alternative report for UNICEF Pakistan which marked UNICEF Pakistan's first interaction with the Committee on the Rights of the Child since Pakistan ratified the UNCRC in 1992. The report assessed Pakistan’s progress on implementation of UNCRC in Pakistan since 2016 and drafted in accordance with treaty bodies guidelines.