THE Punjab Restriction on Employment of Children Ordinance, 2016, provides legal stimulus for ending child labour and puts new limits on the exploitation of adolescents between the ages of 15 and 18 as workers in “hazardous occupations”.

It aims to protect children and adolescents against “slavery … trafficking, debt bondage and serfdom”.

It guards the young against forced labour, and, significantly in the current circumstances, against “forced or compulsory recruitment … for use in armed conflicts”.

It bans “the use, procuring or offering of a child or adolescent for prostitution … production of pornography or for pornographic performances” and “illicit activities, in particular the production and trafficking of drugs”.

Further, it regulates the work of adolescents in “occupations and processes” not considered hazardous. The list of hazardous professions can be added to, just as every law can be improved upon.

Promulgated on Wednesday, the new law is a continuation of some recent steps taken by the Shahbaz Sharif government to curb inhuman practices that the vulnerable young are subjected to.

In recent days, the chief minister has been quite active in his effort to clean up places such as infamous brick kilns, using both administrative and legal means in his duly publicised attempts to rescue the children employed at these bhattas.

The latest ordinance will over time draw suggestions for implementation. However, the new step indicates sustained movement in the right direction, which is going to draw applause from everyone, bar those who have been benefiting from the exploitative system in place for long.

The process needs to be accelerated and expanded into a full-scale campaign against malpractices and violation of rules by employers.

These violations are rampant since the government is not too keen to look inside a factory or any other workplace for evidence of wrong, illegal practices.

Apart from the law, there must be a will to give the workers, young and old, the respect and protection they deserve.

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2016