One of the major causes of societal indifference is negligiecene in accepting and countering child labour. These views were shared by child rights activists in a press released shared by Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC) on the occasion of Child Labour Day 2023. Asiya Arif Khan, Executive Director SPARC stated that the ratio of child labour in Pakistan has increased as compared to other countries in the region and 22.8 million children are out of school in the country. Situation is exacerbated after floods and natural calamities where many out of school children are forced into child labor. Drawing attention to child domestic labor, Asiya lamented that every fourth house employs young and needy children to carry out laborious work. Even educated and well-off families employ poor children as young as 7 years to take care of their younger children.

These children are paid far less and they are subjected to long working hours with no rest. ICT alone has reported many cases which also includes domestic labor where children are sometimes beaten to death. SPARC’s Program Manager, said this day calls on protecting children against harmful occupation settings, where many children die due to working at risky and unsafe places such as mines, brick kilns. There is a need to check child labour in automobile workshops, road side hotels, transportations where children are at risk of exploitation both physical and sexual. Khalil also drew attention on Situation of Child Bonded Laborers in Pakistan that has worsened after the 2022 floods as many already indebted families are facing an increase in their debts due to loss of houses, family members, cattle and crops. Their families working as bonded laborers include a large number of children whom are also in debt bondage.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-INP