Child labor cases in Pakistan are on the rise despite legal responsibilities and restrictions that limit the situation. Why can’t we get the number down? Which major variables contribute to their horrific employment and abuse? What effect does this issue have on individuals, and how does it affect the poverty cycle? According to the International Labor Organization (ILO) and UNICEF, not all work done by minors is considered child labor. There is a distinction between child work and child labor. Child work is defined as any work that does not deprive a kid of his or her educational right or in any way violates their bodily, emotional, or mental well-being. This includes working after school hours or assisting family members by undertaking safe work that is beneficial to their skill development. Any work that violates these standards, on the other hand, may be considered child labor. This includes depriving children the essential educational facilities or subjecting them to excessive hours of school and perilous labor.
According to the ILO and UNICEF, the type of employment and its time will determine whether it is categorized as child labor or child work. The Employment of Children Act, 1991 (presently applicable in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Baluchistan, and Sindh) specifies a minimum age of 14 years for hazardous labor. This has been increased to 18 in ICT and Baluchistan draft legislation after KPK, Sindh, and Punjab implemented the requisite increase. Article 11 (3) of the constitution states that the minimum age for employment in a corporation, mine, or any other type of tough job is 14. Furthermore, Article 25 (A) mandates free education for children aged 5 to 16. Article 37 (e) proclaims the availability of humane and just working conditions, particularly for women and children. Many laws have been enacted to protect children from child labor, but the problem appears to persist. According to ILO’s assessments, one out of every four households in Pakistan employs a child in domestic work, particularly girls aged 10 to 14 years.
The underlying reasons that can operate as contributing factors are divided into two categories: micro and macro-level causes. Micro-level reasons include a lack of quality education and widespread misunderstanding of the value of education. Second, poverty is a key factor in social evil since families struggle to make ends meet and are forced to rely on their children for jobs. Pakistan’s unemployment rate in 2022 was around 6.42%, and numerous ways of informal economy are ingrained in our society, exacerbating the problem. Another worry looming over the state is overpopulation, which makes meeting expenses harder. All of these social circumstances, referred to as “social facts” by Emile Durkheim, leading to the wicked phenomenon, must be countered individually as well as on the state level.
According to ILO’s assessments, one out of every four households in Pakistan employs a child in domestic work, particularly girls aged 10 to 14 years.
The state is also a responsible entity, as Pakistan’s political environment is oriented toward creating and adopting legislation. However, the execution of these laws has been a fiasco, failing in every manner. The unequal distribution of wealth causes poverty, and the poorer classes have no alternative way to cover their expenses. In his book “Why Nations Fail,” James Robinson emphasizes the link between the inability of state institutions to deliver and poverty, inequality, and other social ills that result. Furthermore, the feudal mindset in Pakistan paved the way for new forms of enslavement. Now, let us delve into the implications of this issue and the impacts that haunt us at every level.
The most serious consequence of the problem is that the more a child is exposed, the more vulnerable they are to domestic and sexual abuse. Sahil, a children’s rights protection NGO, issued a report named “Cruel Number” which claimed that 4000 cases of child abuse were reported in Pakistan in 2022. One recent example is the 14-year-old Rizwana, who was cruelly abused by a Judge’s wife in Islamabad. Another horrifying outcome of child labor is the death of Kamran, a minor, in a household due to abuse from his employer, and the serious injury of his 11-year-old brother in 2022. Second, it violates children’s educational rights and, as a result, limits their potential. It jeopardizes their future as well as the overall development of the state because they lack modern abilities for keeping up with shifting trends. One of the consequences is an increase in overpopulation, which is a two-way loop in which more children are produced to enhance the overall income of the family, which is typically lower class.
To summarize, child labor is a huge threat to the state’s development and contributes to other horrible crimes. The executive body must prioritize such socially significant matters and make the enforcement of law and order evident. For long-term progress and prosperity, the abolition of social evils must be prioritized.
About The Author
Wajeeha Ashfaq is a student of political science at the School of Politics and International Relations at Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad.
The views expressed in this article are solely those of the original author and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views of Rationale-47.
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