Millions of children all over Pakistan are impacted by the pervasive problem of child labour. Even though there are laws intended to prevent child exploitation, it is still very difficult to enforce them. This blog post examines Pakistan's current laws against child labour, how they are enforced, and the loopholes that let the practice continue.
The Constitution
The Pakistani Constitution and labour laws incorporate various provisions aimed at safeguarding minors from being exploited for labour. The Employment of Children Act 1991 forbids hiring minors younger than 14 for jobs in dangerous jobs. Furthermore, the Mines Act of 1923 and the Factories Act of 1934 established stringent regulations regarding the hiring of young people in industrial environments.
The Employment of Children Act:
More provinces are enforcing legislation to curb the worst kind of child labour in Pakistan. A kid or teenager is not permitted to work more than seven hours a day, including one hour for rest, according to the Employment of Children Act. Additionally, a youngster is not permitted to work from 7 p.m. until 8 a.m. In Balochistan and ICT, the minimum age to perform hazardous labour is 14 years old; in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh, it is 18 years old.
These laws exist, but there is little enforcement, and there are many infractions. The dearth of resources devoted to workplace surveillance is one factor. Furthermore, the penalties for infractions are sometimes so little that they provide as little deterrent to companies using underage labour.
The Enforcement Context
Effective enforcement of child labor laws in Pakistan is hindered by several factors:
- Insufficient labor inspections: There are too few labor inspectors for the number of workplaces, and many inspectors lack the training to identify violations effectively.
- Corruption and bribery: Enforcement efforts are often compromised by corruption within the system. Employers may bribe officials to ignore violations, leading to a lack of accountability.
- Lack of awareness: Many families are not aware of the laws or the long-term harm that child labor can cause to their children. Economic pressures often outweigh the perceived benefits of education and child welfare.
Case Reports
Children are regularly employed by small-scale manufacturers and brick kilns in the provinces of Sindh and Punjab. More than thirty percent of the youngsters in these areas were engaged in labour that directly broke national regulations, according to a 2019 study published by a local NGO. It was discovered that these kids were working in hazardous environments where they were exposed to harmful chemicals without any safety precautions.
Global Viewpoint
In contrast, nations such as India and Bangladesh have experienced enhanced enforcement of child labour regulations as a result of global pressure and more synchronised non-governmental organisation initiatives. These nations have improved their mechanisms for disclosing infractions to the public and imposed harsher fines.
Recommendations and Solutions
The following actions are required to improve the enforcement of Pakistan's laws against child labour:
- Penalties: To effectively dissuade companies who break child labour regulations, significantly raise the fines and penalties associated with such violations.
- Boost the quality of labour inspections: To make sure they can efficiently spot and address infractions, hire more labour inspectors and provide them greater training.
- Campaigns for public awareness: To further inform the public about the risks associated with child labour and the value of education, launch more extensive campaigns.
- Methods for reporting in the community: Provide and encourage community-based channels for reporting abuses of child labour regulations so that people can do so anonymously.
Conclusion
Although Pakistan has a strong legislative structure to prevent child labour, these rules are not well enforced. The community must be involved, public education must be increased, and enforcement measures must be strengthened if child labour in the workforce is to be eradicated. It is only by combined efforts that we can expect to witness a notable reduction in child labour in Pakistan.