THE issue of child domestic labour(CDL) in our country is rather grave. Children continue to be a source of cheap labour for families across the country. The CDL under specific conditions described in ILO Convention 182 is considered the worst form of child labour. Unfortunately Pakistan has not identified it as the worst form of child labour. I think this is so because of the attitude of social acceptance of this form of child labour while employers consider it an act of benevolence, though no education facilities and recreation opportunities are provided to these children.

It is an irony that the media has been reporting numerous cases of severe torture, abuse and death of child domestic workers but no one knows the number of unreported cases.

After 18th Amendment, Pakistan is still coping up with massive administrative and legislative responsibilities to the provinces which have so far failed to come up with a comprehensive child labour legislation to ban employment of children under 14 years of age. Children working at homes are considered an invisible form of domestic work and unfortunately no legislation have been made so far to ban this.

Why have the authorities not been able to consider the plight of child domestic workers? Do the children who work for unlimited hours have no rights??

The government should ratify ILO Domestic Workers Convention 189 and enact national legislation to grant domestic workers their rights and ban child domestic labour completely. Also the minimum age of employment under Employment of Children Act from 14 years to 16 years should be immediately increased to make it in line with Article 25-A of the Constitution of Pakistan; thereby allowing children to avail themselves of their fundamental right to free and compulsory education.

Sahiba Irfan Khan

Lahore

Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2017