KARACHI: The Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC) organized a consultation to create awareness on World Day Against Child Labour at local hotel on Saturday.
The participants, which also included specially child laborer, urged the provincial government to take meaningful steps to abolish any form of child labour in Sindh, classifying child labour as a form of modern-day slavery.
Chief Guest, Ms. Shamim Mumtaz, Chairperson, Sindh Child Protection Authority said Child Labour is one of the major issues related to the child protection not only in Pakistan but every under developing countries. She added Pakistan is signatory of various UN and ILO convention in regards to eliminate child labour, forced labour, slavery, and external trafficking in documents although a lot of administrative measures are still required to completely eradicate this evil practice.
Sindh Child Protection Authority is extending its role to eliminate child labor not only in Urban but from ruler areas, the Child Protection helpline is active so if any case come across related to child labor complaint may register there and it will be responded accordingly.
Mr. Kashif Bajeer, Coordinator Child Rights Movement Sindh, CRM is the Network of above 40 child rights-based organizations in Sindh and 300 at national level. In Sindh the network is managed by SPARC with support of Save the Children.
Mr. Abdul Rasheed Solangi Secretary Labour Department told that in coordination with sectoral experts, the department is developing sustainable policy to eradicate the child labor.
Mr. Bux Ali Meher, Director General at Labour department also stated that we are in processing of compiling data and other statistics in regards to Child Labour, we also encourage civil societies organization for there support for providing technical assistance
Mr. Karamat Ali, Executive Director, Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER), said despite legislation, child labour has increased in the province due to weak and conflicting nature of the available laws and policies. He mentioned without a uniform age for ‘definition of child’ in all the laws, child labour can’t be ended.
Members of Sindh Assembly, Ms. Sidra Imran from opposition mentioned that after 18th amendment the province of Sindh has enacted Sindh Prohibition of Employment of Children Bill, 2017 that’s was collectively supported by all members, as this a beyond any political scouring Ms. Mangala Sharma the another experience legislator representing MQM Pakistan in session said that immediate action is required by the government to increase age of adulthood and employment to 18 years in all legislations and outlaw the child domestic labor as modern form of slavery.
Ms. Shumaila Muzammil Project Manager and other Child rights experts present at the occasion mentioned that Pakistan already has the second largest population of out-of-school children in the world and the COVID-19 pandemic has forced hundreds of thousands of others to drop out and join work force. According to experts, the financial implications of COVID-19 will also include child marriages and trafficking for commercial and sexual exploitation.
Mr. Muhammad Kashif Mirza, Manager Advocacy Manager said that there is no concrete data available in the country on Child Labour but it is estimated to be around 12 million. Ministry of Human Rights in collaboration with UNICEF has initiated a National level survey in 2019 but the results are long awaited. Covid-19 increased unemployment that will also increase child labour.
