September 9, 2004

Children are an asset of any society, points out Samira Masroor. Can we expect high self-esteem from young domestic workers who are ill-treated in homes?

“Salma where are you?” Salma came out of the kitchen and answered in a scared voice, “I, I, I was working in the kitchen.”

“Haven’t I told you to clean the room first? But you never listen to me. I don’t know what’s the matter with you. People like you are always ungrateful. I give you food, clothes and shelter but you always try to cheat me.”

Salma was feeling insulted. She tried to explain hesitantly, “No, no I was....”

The employer started shouting at her, “Shut up, you foolish girl! Are you trying to make me a liar? Go and clean the room and do it quickly as you have to be with me in the kitchen.”

This is how Salma’s day begins. This was not something new for her. In fact, she would feel something missing if she did not hear the abusive language of her employer almost every morning.

Salma is a child domestic servant who works 11 hours a day and in return gets some money (sometimes none), food and a place to sleep. She is a six-year-old girl who belongs to a poor family living in the northern area. She has six brothers and sisters and her father is a labourer. He is the sole bread earner of his family and does not have any regular source of income. Sometimes the family eats, sometimes it has to skip meals. This is a routine for them.

One day one of Salma’s relatives asked her mother, “Why don’t you send Salma to Islamabad? You know it is the city of elites. She will get work in someone’s home. She can save some money as well and you do not have to worry about her food and clothes.”

Salma’s mother was not very happy about sending her child away. But when she looked at her family she agreed to send Salma to work. Salma was not willing to go as she had never been away from home. She started crying bitterly and told her mother that she did not want to go. But her mother was compelled to do so.

To convince Salma her mother told her that there she would be safe. She could watch TV and play with the other children. She could also visit home whenever she wanted to. Salma began to think it would not be so bad after all: at least she could see her parents whenever she wanted to.

At last she arrived at her new home. The house belonged to a married couple who had three children. Salma was extremely scared in this new atmosphere but on seeing children belonging to her age group she relaxed a bit.

Her employer, a 35-year-old woman, told Salma that she had to help her in all the household work. A dirty, suffocating small storeroom was given to Salma. It was her first night in the new home. The darkness in the room scared her. She was not allowed to switch on the light as her employer was stingy.

Salma remembered that whenever she felt frightened at night her mother took her in her lap to comfort her. But here she was left alone to fight with her fear.

Salma’s employer woke her up early in the morning and took her to the kitchen so that she could assist her in making breakfast. Salma wistfully watched the children getting ready to go to school. It was her dream to wear a tidy uniform and go to school one day. But she knew that her dream would never come true as her family could not afford to send her.

Now Salma works 11 hours a day. Her employer always keeps complaining about her. She often accuses Salma of stealing toys. She was not allowed to sit with them during lunch or dinner because she was a servant and thus inferior to them. She couldn’t play with the children either as she was dirty. She also could not watch TV. She is allowed to visit her family only once in two years. Salma’s story is the true story of thousands of children who work as domestic servants.

According to a Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child report — “Status of children 2002” — officially 3.3 to 8 million children are working in different fields. Another 23 million children are available for work.

Whenever we talk about the rights of children we always say that children are the assets of our society. Their self-esteem and self-identity should be protected as these are the two most important factors which play a vital role in the development of a child’s personality. By respecting their worth as human beings, they can only then become a valuable member of the family and community.

Can we expect a high self-esteem from children like Salma who spend their lives hearing abusive language and are accused of stealing things every now and then? Who will tell them their worth as human beings when they work 11 hours a day like beasts of burden? Who will tell them that they are human beings made for better things?

What is their identity: a child domestic worker, a member of a poor family, a person from a vulnerable part of our society?

Who is mainly responsible for this situation? Children? Who do not come to this world of their own will. We? Who employee young children. Parents? Who because of their economic deprivation send their children to work against their will? Or the government? As it is the protagonist of child rights but unable to protect them. We have to ask ourselves....

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