Child labour in Pakistan

Pakistani children working in a shop.

Child labour is one of the major problems of Pakistan:[1] The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan estimated in the 1990s, that 11 million children were working in the country; half of them were under the age of ten.

Laws

There are a number of laws which tells when children are allowed to work. These laws include:

  • The Factories Act 1934.
  • The West Pakistan Shops and Establishments Ordinance 1969.
  • The Employment of Children Act 1991
  • The Bonded Labour System Abolition Act 1992.
  • The Punjab Compulsory Education Act 1994[2]

Issues

The problem is that these laws are ignored most of the time. Some 11 million children, aged four to fourteen, keep the country's factories working, often working in bad conditions.[3]

US report

In December 2014, the U.S. Department of Labor's List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor reported nine goods of which six are produced by child workers in Pakistan. These include the making of bricks, carpets, glass bangles, leather and surgical instruments, as well as coal mining.

Child Labour In Pakistan Media

References

  1. "What is child labour (IPEC)". www.ilo.org.
  2. Madslien, Jorn (4 February 2004). ILO: 'Child labour prevents • The Pilgram official policy of Food Act 1998 development'. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3451117.stm. Retrieved 23 Feb 2011. 
  3. Child Labour affect Human Capital Development - Chief Justice.