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Mid Term

Issue
Paper - By
CHILD LABOUR IN
Hareem
Sattar PAKISTAN
Despite the fact that children are the future of every
nation, and well taken care of in developed countries,
in Pakistan child labor is not only prevalent, it is a
largely understated social crisis. This issue paper
analyzes the determinants of child labor in the
Pakistani context and analyzes the several possible
solutions
Issue: How should Pakistan eradicate from its system child labor and ensure a
brighter future for its youth?
Goal: To reduce and eventually wipe out the employment of child labor in Pakistan.
Problem Statement: According to International Labor Organization, child labour is
the important source of child exploitation and child abuse in the world today. The
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has estimated the number of Pakistani
working children to be around 11-12 millions, out of which, at least, half the children
are under the age of ten years. It portrays the society's attitude towards child care.
It is therefore, essential to break this vicious cycle and hence, enable the society to
produce healthy citizens. (Gulzar, 2009)
Background/History: Amongst many, one of the factors that helps us to judge
quality of a life of any society is "How well it cares for its children". Unfortunately in
our part of the world the situation is completely different because here children are
forced to become part of the labor market hence being victimized to hostile
environment. Child labor in Pakistan is a gloomy reality. The expected number of
child workers here is around 19 million and with the total population of children in
Pakistan, 40 million, it places half of our youth under child labor. Half of this
countrys future is not in school, they are not getting educated, and they do not
have a fair shot at a future. At an age when they should be learning to read and
write, they are out on the streets trying to make money
Child labor has been dominant in Pakistan in all the sectors of the economy, though
it mostly exists in informal sector of employment and in the home based industry. In
1996, Pakistan's Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto acknowledged the problem of child
labor in the country and announced the plan to eliminate it. In his speech in April
1998, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif stated that the problem of child labor occupied a
prominent place in the agenda of government of Pakistan. In 1999, Federal minister
for labor and manpower, Shaikh Rashid announced a four point policy for curbing
child labor in Pakistan. In Jan-99, government announced the draft of the labor
policy. The policy envisaged that the government is committed to end child labor. It
was also promised by the government of Pakistan in 2000, that the law to eliminate
child labor and bonded labor at an economic level would be implemented in 2002
and till 2005; there would be no bonded labor or child labor in Pakistan. Even after
so much regulations and promises by the government of Pakistan, attempts has not
been successful till now. (Muhammad, 2001)
No change/Nothing Alternative:
With nothing crucial being done to deal with this issue, industries in Pakistan
continue employing child labor for cheap rates and abundance of workforce. One of
the most prominent is the carpet industry despite the government calling it an
unsafe employment. Many children end up suffering from back pain, poor eye sight
and respiratory disorders. Since one quarter of the children in the carpet industry
are girls, many are also sexually abused. According to the findings of a recent
survey conducted at Peshawar, it was revealed that 150 children among which 120
were working in automobile workshops for 8-10 hours without any safety measures.
(ICN 2003; 46: 126-8) These children were found to be suffering from health
problems due to working in unsafe, polluted environments for long time durations
which led to their ill health. In Lahore, 84 steel furnaces and spare parts
manufacturing units were surveyed. Amongst them 27% of the workforce engaged
in these sectors comprised of children; and were suffering from headache, nasal
irritation, sore throat and skin rashes. (Conley, 2000)
Besides the physical harm the children suffer, this life of harsh labour also has quite
a negative psychological impact. The children, devoid of education and a
comfortable childhood, turn to crime, some become thieves, while others take up
drugs. The most important and distressing of all are the street children. They could
be employed as shoe-shine kids or flower sellers, who live and work on the
dangerous streets or they may be forced to even beg at the mercy of their ruthless
employers.

Alternatives:
In order to avoid this gloomy future, there may be several solutions to this issue,
which Ive discussed on different levels of importance, beginning from the lesser
necessary solutions to the more dire needs:
1. An increase in employment opportunity for adults
The main reason behind child labor is poverty. This is mainly because limited
resources are available for the person to get a job or even if they find one
their salaries are much lower compared to inflation in Pakistan. Poverty levels
in Pakistan appear to necessitate that children work in order to allow families
to reach their target takehome income, which they need to buy their butter
and bread. However, if more employment is generated in the country for the
adults, children might escape the labour cycles.
Analysis: This solution may not just help eradicate child labour in the
country but also improve the economy and the quality of life for the
underprivileged. An increase in the quality of life is directly proportional to
decrease in crimes rates. However as easy as it is to suggest this solution,
generation jobs in a bad economy is difficult. Additionally most of the parents
that force their children into work, lack skills or experience to find work
themselves. This may be a great solution but may only be implemented in
the long term.
2. The general public need to be made aware of the severe
consequences of Child labor.
The reason child labor has become something normal for us is because we
have let it. Every other household in the city employs a young child, girl or
boy, to look after their children, wash their clothes, and clean their china. We
let children clean our cars while we wait for traffic lights to go green. When
have we really stopped and wondered how wrong this is? Although multiple
NGOS are trying to raise awareness about this issue, theyve not been able to
bring about a substantial change in the situation. Until and unless the entire
population recognizes child labor as a crisis, we cannot put an end to it.
Analysis: With a complete knowledge of all the harms people inflict upon the
young by employing child labour, by making it a social shame, people will
avoid being involved with it. Not only this, people would also want to help
such abused children, support charities in their favor and raise voices if they
come across the mistreatment of children. However, it may be difficult for
people to give up child labour because of the convenience it provides. If not
children, where else will they find such cheap labour? To make this solution
work, there needs to be not a singular awareness program or conference, but
many, and they should be held at as many locations and as frequently as
possible for maximum impact.
3. Government should ensure that every child gets the opportunity to
go to school
If the boy or girl takes up a small job as a domestic help or restaurant boy
against a nominal salary of Rs. 750-1800 per month, he does not get enough
time for primary and secondary education and is most likely to remain
completely illiterate, unskilled, perhaps with a weak health and will have to
remain unemployed or be engaged as an unskilled labor when he is grown
up. (Basak, 2017) The alternative is to make sure each and every child in the
country goes to school, with or without the parents consent. Pakistan should
make education a right. Not an opportunity.
Analysis: With education made compulsory for the children, their time will
be consumed with studies, not spent in some workshop. With more
education, they will have better chances to get proper employment once they
are old enough and also be aware of the vices and virtues of the world.
However, one of the major reasons why children in this country are not
getting educated is because their parents, illiterate themselves in many
cases, see education as something pointless, they would rather have their
kids earning money to feed the family then sitting in a classroom all day long.
This solution may only work if these parents themselves are educated on the
importance of schooling and the benefits it may bring their child and
themselves.
4. The child labor laws need to be strictly enforced by the government
This, I believe, is the solution that can bring about the most change in a
shorter period of time. All the policies and programs of government conform
to its commitment which focuses on eradication of child labour. The problem
of child labour still remains despite all the attempts of the government.
Enforcement is the key aspect that is lacking in the governments effort. No
enforcement data for child labour laws are available.
Analysis: Despite the many laws and bills passed by the government against
child labor, they have proven ineffective to the point of being completely
ignored by employers. They do not fear these laws because they dont take
them as something serious. If Pakistan hopes to ever be able to completely
wipe out child labour, the government and those responsible for the
enforcement need to do their jobs sincerely. Policies can and will be
developed concerning child labour, but without enforcement they are all
useless.
Conclusion:
The problem of child labour in the third world countries is not only financial but is
also a socio-economic problem which can be dealt with by taking certain measures
for improving the economic conditions of the community and enabling it to provide
education and leisure time to the children. At the same time, due thoroughness is
required in effective execution of child labour regulation. Perhaps abrupt eradication
of child labour may not be possible in a country like Pakistan, where poverty is the
main cause of many problems because by doing so these children may end up in
other more harmful professions such as drug trafficking, and sex workers; to earn
their livelihood. ("Child labour: A public health issue", 2017) However, education
may help these children so that they can be equipped with necessary skills and in
future they would be better able to work in a favorable environment.
Recommendation:
I, personally, believe education for every child is this countrys solution to a future
with no child labour. I do realize that parents, who need their children to work with
them, learn the family trades and skills, may be hesitant in sending them to school.
So a more acceptable answer to this problem may be to let the child work with
his/her family for the purpose of learning craftsmanship but also make it compulsory
for them to receive education. It can be ensured that a child who is getting technical
training as a shagird at an auto-workshop also gets basic education and in the end,
come out as a diploma holder having the skill as well as education to earn a decent
living in his remaining life.

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