Call for law tweak to eliminate child labour

KARACHI:

Child rights experts and activists have called for amendments to Sindh's labour and child protection laws to eliminate child labour and prioritise the well-being of children.

The call came during a consultation session on the Sindh Prohibition of Employment of Children Act 2017, organised by the Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC) in collaboration with the Sindh Judicial Academy (SJA) at the SJA office on Friday.

Attendees included a wide range of stakeholders, including SHRC Chairman Iqbal Detho, Sindh Human Rights Department (SHRD) Secretary Tahseen Fatima, officials from various government departments, representatives of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), members of the judiciary, legal experts, and civil social activists.

Detho spoke about the proposed Criminal Laws (Sindh Amendment) 2024, which seeks to introduce Section 374-A into the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

This amendment aims to ensure that no child under the age of 18 is employed as a domestic worker, aligning with Pakistan's commitment to ILO Convention 182, which prohibits the worst forms of child labour and sets the minimum age for hazardous work at 18.

He added that the amendment would protect children from hazardous working conditions that threaten their health, education, and mental well-being.

Detho also pointed out the lack of effective criminal liability for employers who exploit child labour, urging reforms to address these gaps in the law.