SAHIWAL: Around 6,000 children of local kiln workers between five and 12 years of age who are working with their parents at 254 kiln units are excluded from the Punjab government’s ongoing school enrolment campaign ‘Parho Punjab, Barho Punjab’.

Parents and local rights activists demanded the Punjab government enrol these out-of-school children working in the brick kiln industry as soon as possible. This was demanded in a seminar organised by the Insan Dost Association (IDA) on International Workers Day in Niazi Colony on Friday. The theme was ‘Economy Revival Depends On Labourers Survival’.

PML-N MPA Malik Arshad assured kiln labourers that their demands would be conveyed to Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for inclusion of kiln workers children’s quota in the ongoing enrolment campaign in each district of Punjab.

Three local organisations -- IDA, Aman Welfare Foundation, Kameer and Ideal Education Society -- under the Trafficking of Person (TIP) programme had recently concluded a survey at 254 local kiln units. One of the main purposes of the survey was to see how many children between five and 12 years of age were out of school and working as labourers along with their parents. The survey was conducted in five months and the result showed around 6,000 children were out of school and worked as labourers along with their parents.

Anjum Matto, the IDA executive director, said it was shocking that such a large number of children were out of school in one district only.

“Same is the case with other 15 districts of Punjab, including Rawalpindi, Lahore, Nankana Sahib, Kasur, Okara, Pakpattan, Fasilabad, Toba Take Singh, Khanewal, Multan, Muzaffargarh, Vehari, Sahiwal, Narowal and Silakot where the survey was conducted by TIP,” he added.

While elaborating reasons behind the non-enrolment, Matto said schools demanded birth certificates for registration that these kiln labourers’ children did not have.

Labourers shifted from one kiln to another because of opportunities, which was why the National Database Registration Authority (Nadra) did not issue them birth certificates as their residential addresses kept changing. Matto demanded special arrangements be made with Nadra where these children could be issued birth certificates.

The speakers demanded the chief minister pay attention and include all kiln workers’ children in the ‘Parho Punjab, Barho Punjab’ campaign.

Imtiaz Butt, divisional president of the PML-N youth wing, assured kiln workers the issue would be resolved with Nadra on priority. MPA Arshad said he would personally take up the issue with the chief minister.

Labourers George Masih and Nadeem Younas told Dawn their children could not get admission to any public school as they did not have birth certificates. They said: “We shifted from seven kilns during the last seven years. How can we get a permanent address for our children on birth certificates?”

A resolution was passed at the end of the seminar demanding inclusion of labourer’s children in the enrolment campaign, issuance of social security cards to all kiln labourers and old age employment card.

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2015

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