CHILD LABOUR IN PAKISTAN

SUBMITTED BY: LAIBA IBRAHIM & AWAIS KHALID

Submitted To: Ma’am Nayyab Mufti

Contents1.Abstract..............................................................................................1

2.Introduction.....................................................................................2Causes Of Child Labour....................................................................3Government Policies On Child Labour..............................................4Famous Nike Case............................................................................4Efforts To Reduce Child Labour........................................................5Save the Children..............................................................................6

3. Material and Methods.......................................................................64.Results...............................................................................................75.Discussion..........................................................................................76.Conclusion.........................................................................................77.References.........................................................................................9

1.Abstract

The topic “Child Labour in Pakistan” is extensively explained throughout the report.Firsty the

causes of child labour in Pakistan are highlighted and the legislations passed by the government

are also touched. Moreover, praise-worthy work of different NGOs is also appreciated and their

efforts to reduce child labour are also explained. The community is also affected mostly rural

communities where such things are not considered wrong. It can be said that the child and his

personality are also greatly affected by this act.

2.Introduction

Today Pakistan is facing a lot of social problems but some are destroying our society and also

economy of Pakistan. Like child labour, poverty, illiteracy, population growth, terrorism,

smuggling, drug abuse etc.The topic which we have selected is child labour. Child Labour is

children who are put to work full-time when they are under the legal age or working illegally, it

prevents kids from attending school which affects their physical, mental or emotional

health. .The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan estimated in the 1990s, 11 million children

were working in the country, half of which were under the age of ten. In 1996, the median age

for a child entering the workforce was seven, down from eight years old in 1994. It was

estimated that one quarter of the country’s work force was made up of children.

.

Causes Of Child Labour

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) suggests that poverty is the greatest single cause

behind child labour. Pakistan has a per-capita income of approximately $1900. A middle class

person in Pakistan earns around $5 a day on average. The average Pakistani has to feed nine or

ten people with their daily wage. Further to that there is also the high inflation rate to contend

with. As of 2008, 17.2% of the total population lives below the poverty line, which is the lowest

figure in the history of Pakistan. Poverty levels in Pakistan appear to necessitate that children

work in order to allow families to reach their target take‐home pay. For companies, the low cost

of child labour gives them a significant edge over their competitors as they can sell their products

on cheap prices. The main cause of child labour in the fishing sector of Coastal Areas of

Balochistan and Sind are low quality of education, lack of job prospects, and lack of progress in

the region. It was found that in this particular province that there are high dropout rates and low

literacy rate. Many children in Pakistan work under a bonded system. In this system an advance

of bonded money, is given for a person. As long as the debt remains the employee is bound to

work for the employer. Also people living in other deprived areas of Pakistan considers their

sons as a helping hand or economic man that is why parents want their children to work and earn

extra income for them.

Government Policies On Child Labour

Child labour remains one of the major problems afflicting Pakistan and its children. According to

the 2014 Global Slavery Index, 2,058,200 people are enslaved in Pakistan. The WFF Index

places Pakistan at third position in a list of 167 countries where the problem of human slavery is

most severe. Pakistan has passed laws in an attempt to limit child labour and indentured

servitude, but those laws are universally ignored. Some 11 million children, aged four to

fourteen, keep the country's factories operating, often working in brutal and squalid conditions.

A number of laws contain provisions prohibiting child labour, or regulating the working

conditions of child and adolescent workers. The most important laws are:

● 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.

● Article 11 of the Constitution prohibits all forms of slavery, forced labour and child labour.

● Bonded Labor System (Abolition) Rules 1995.

Famous Nike Case

In June, 1996 issue of Life magazine carried an article about child labour in Pakistan. In which

Nike was characterized of making its equipments in countries which are in the developing phase,

having very cheap labour, lack of human rights appeal and union movement. Nike success story

is not just based on good name and advertising alone but also attached to it is the tears of tortured

workers and child labour. Nike strategy is not to launch its production directly in to the

developing country, such as Pakistan, but instead it subcontracts it to them by selecting a local

firm. When doing this the local firm in this case SAGA sports, had to abide by the Nike's

international rules and regulations when producing its goods. And it was the duty of Nike to

monitor its subcontracted production units and hold it to tight scrutiny. But, this was not what

really happens. Both Nike and the local production company aims to minimize cost and earn the

highest amounts of profit thus involving themselves in illegal practices, such as child labour.

Nike and SAGA sports both benefits with access to cheap child labour in Pakistan. Nike went

into Pakistan, having full knowledge of the favorable conditions prevailing in terms of child

labour and had not taken any precautions whatsoever to prevent the use of child labour in the

production of its soccer balls. Instead Nike made huge profit from its Pakistani contractors who

in turn used bonded child labour in the production process.

Efforts To Reduce Child Labour

NGO groups against child labour have been raising awareness of the exploitation of children in

Pakistan. Presently several organizations are working in Pakistan to reduce child labour.

Factories are now registered with provincial social security programs which offer free school

facilities for children of workers and free hospital treatment.

Save the Children

Save the children has also been working with some of the sporting goods manufacturers

represented by the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce, and Industry (SCCI) and their international

partner brands, represented by the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI).

This joint effort is aimed at ensuring that children are not employed to stitch footballs. Save the

Children has also worked on projects with the British Secretary of State for International

Development to phase out child labour in Sialkot. The £750,000 donated by Britain will be spent

on education and training, and also on setting up credit and savings schemes, in an attempt to

provide alternatives to bonded labour.

3. Material and Methods

All the information mentioned in this report is related to the topic and is accurate and highly

authentic. The Information included is taken from a number of authentic sources such as recent

researches, surveys, articles, case studies and reports. The material included is gathered from

trustworthy websites. All stated information is factual. Moreover, statistical figures mentioned,

such as percentages and number of children involved in Child labour is accurate as they have

been taken from surveys conducted by highly trusted authorities. Also, much information is

taken from researches or case studies conducted by reputable researchers such as Silvers,

Jonathan. Also, all the material taken from all such sources have been cited or the source is

mentioned. Hence, all the material included is authentic.

4.Results

According to the information gathered, the result highlights the fact that child labour is one of

the biggest problems of Pakistan. Child labour does not only affect the community but also the

child’s personality. It permanently changes a child; while other children enjoy life while some

unlucky ones earn their right to breathe.

5.Discussion

Even in the age of Modern Day Science Child Labour is still increasing day by day. Illiteracy is

one of the main reason of this increase as people from the rural areas are rarely educated. Poverty

also contributes to child labour; children are forced to work due to lack of earning throughout the

family.

6.Conclusion

The dilemma of child labour poses great threat to community and most importantly our values as

human beings. Child Awareness should be raised and parents must pay attention to their children

education. The government should strictly implement on laws they have formulated throughout

the country to eradicate this social evil. Promote rural strategies and programs aimed at

improving rural livelihoods, and bring child labour to an end. Strict action should be taken

against all the violators of these child labour laws. NGO's should continue their efforts to

minimize child labour and help the children who had fell victim to this.

7.References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_labour

http://fairtradesports.com/2009/09/25/child-labor-in-pakistan/

http://library.thinkquest.org/03oct/01908/800/childlaborinpakistan.htm

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1996/02/child-labor-in-pakistan/

304660/

http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/03068291011025273

http://www.imacpak.org/atlanta.htm

http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/

http://www.childwatch.uio.no/research/children-rights/sparc.html

http://www1.american.edu/ted/nike.htm