CHILD labour refers to exploiting children and putting them to work for money at the cost of their future, education, health and pleasures of life. It is rampant in developing and poor countries like Pakistan.

Although the United Nations and the International Labour Organisation discourage child labour, children mostly aged 10-14 years can be seen doing all sorts of manual and minor work.

Young and innocent children work in industrial units, workshops, depart-mental stores, hotels, automobile workshops, brick kilns, carpet factories, canteens, fruit shops, etc.

There are many factors behind child labour in Pakistan, such as increasing poverty, the burden of large families, massive unemployment, expensive education and an insecure future. These factors compel the parents in low social classes to make their children learn some skills and earn for their large families.

Besides, the apathy of the government towards controlling child labour is a major contributing factor. Consequently, the menace keeps growing because employers think they can easily manage, control, coerce, blackmail and exploit children without facing consequences.

Child labour is prohibited by laws, and must be checked forthwith, and the violators should be taken to task. Quality primary education must be made free and compulsory. Large-scale social and economic reforms should be enacted. To provide better and bright future to all our children, we must do away with the menace of child labour.

Sonia Kanwal
Karachi

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2023