LAHORE: Law, rights, psychological experts and representatives of children have jointly urged the government to take urgent legislative measures to effectively outlaw the domestic child labour.

During a provincial policy dialogue jointly arranged by a non-profit organisation in collaboration with the civil society, media celebrities, government departments, parliamentary stakeholders and workers’ organisations, the speakers said that domestic child labour is not only a clear violation of children’s rights recognised by Pakistan through ratification of UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and pledge made under the Sustainable Development Goals but a violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed by the constitution of Pakistan.

“The children are compelled to work in domestic settings due to a myriad of reasons, including economic struggles that force families to seek additional income sources. Lack of awareness about children’s rights, coupled with limited access to education, perpetuates a cycle of vulnerability. In some cases, traditional norms normalise child labour, and gender disparities further exacerbate the issue,” said Rashida Qureshi, the focal person for Children Advocacy Network- CAN Pakistan.

Ayesha Raza Farooq, the Chairperson National Commission on the Rights of Children (NCRC), while speaking on the occasion, shared that child domestic labour constitutes a grave violation of children’s rights according to international human rights law. “Such labour denies children their right to a safe and nurturing environment, impedes their access to education and healthy development, and exposes them to potential exploitation and abuse,” she said.

Former parliamentarians Mehnaz Akbar Aziz, Faiza Malik, Amna Sardar and others endorsed the suggestion to amend the Punjab Destitute & Neglected Children Act to bring the issue of child domestic labour under the purview of Child Protection & Welfare Bureau so in such cases where children under the minimum legal age are employed by employer to perform domestic labour can be responded by the CPWB.

Member National Commission for Human Rights and co-host of the event Mr. Nadeem Asraf emphasised the effective implementation of the existing legal framework around child protection. Iftikhar Mubarik, Executive Director Search for Justice shared that prohibition of child domestic labour carries immense significance from a child protection perspective. Chairperson Child Protection &; Welfare Bureau Sarah Ahmad in her remarks shared that recent incidents of heinous violence and abuse from different parts of the country are evident to establish that the child Domestic labour is hazardous for children.

Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2023