ISLAMABAD, JUN 12 (APP/DNA):”On World Child Labour Day, leaders from the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau, Punjab and SPARC emphasized the need for collective action, strict implementation of laws and media awareness drives to protect Pakistan’s children from labour exploitation.
They called to end child labour exploitation in Pakistan. Affecting over 20 million children, child labour remains a pressing issue in the country.
The organizations emphasized the need for strict enforcement of laws and media-led preventive awareness drives to protect children’s rights and prevent exploitation.
Chairperson Sara Ahmad of the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau, Punjab, in a conversation with a private news channel, urged the government, civil society, and media to work together and implement practical measures to eliminate child labour.
Sara Ahmad stressed that strict laws and proactive media awareness campaigns are essential for preventing child labor and building a brighter future, adding, ignoring children’s problems would compound the nation’s current difficulties, creating even bigger issues down the line.
The issue of child labour in Pakistan is a pressing concern, with millions of children forced into labour due to ineffective laws and insufficient measures, she highlighted.
According to recent statistics, the ratio of child labour in Punjab stands at a staggering 14%. This highlights the need for urgent action to protect children’s rights and prevent them from being exploited, she added.
To address this issue, Punjab is taking a pioneering step by introducing a Child Protection Policy, the first of its kind in any province, she said, adding, this policy aims to provide a comprehensive framework for protecting children from exploitation and abuse.
However, despite this initiative, the sheer number of child labourers across Pakistan remains a daunting
challenge, said Chairperson SPARC Anees Jilani, adding, there is a pressing need for effective implementation of laws and measures to prevent child labour and ensure that children are able to access education and enjoy their childhood without being burdened with responsibilities that are beyond their years.
According to experts, child labour is on the rise due to increasing poverty, unemployment and wealthy families exploiting loopholes to avoid accountability, despite government announcements to tackle the problem.
Jilani further added that the International Labour Organisation reports that more than 160 million children worldwide, aged 5-17, are engaged in child labour, highlighting the need for sustained efforts to eliminate this practice.
According to Sara, one in five households in Pakistan is affected by child labour, emphasizing the need for urgent action.
She expressed concern that influential families are frequently able to avoid punishment, and emphasized the need for rigorous enforcement of laws to hold them accountable.
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