Poverty in Pakistan appear to necessitate that children work in order to allow families to reach target take-home pay
BADIN: One of the biggest problems of Pakistan is child labour. Child labour deprives children of their childhood, interferes with their ability to attend regular school, and can be mentally, physically, socially and morally harmful.
Child labour involves children being enslaved, separated from their families, exposed to serious hazards and illnesses and/or left to fend for themselves on the streets of large cities — often at a very early age.
It was estimated that one-quarter of the country’s workforce is made up of child labourers. In Hyderabad, children enter the workforce at the age of eight or 10 years and usually make bangles and bracelets in different factories.
The main reason behind forced child labour is poverty. Poverty exists because of limited resources available to a person or family. Even if a primary breadwinner gets a job, salaries are usually too low to survive, let alone live comfortably, given the high rate of inflation in Pakistan. Poverty levels in Pakistan appear to necessitate that children work in order to allow families to reach their target take-home pay for basic bread and butter. From the point of view of firms, the low cost of child labour gives manufacturers a significant advantage in increasing their profits and remaining competitive in the market.
How can the government improve this situation at the community and household level? The government can help by providing alternative opportunities for vocational training and education to children as well as creating viable alternative economic opportunities to poor families. Children can work with their families in family-based trades and occupations for the purpose of learning a new trade, craftsmanship or vocation.
The government needs to take more initiative to reduce child labour in the country and support poor families by providing financial assistance and employment. Additionally, there should be a requirement for government assistance to families to enrol their children in school to increase the literacy rate of the country.
Shahid Ahmed Qureshi
Published in The Express Tribune, June 14th, 2015.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.
