President, PM urge efforts to end child labour

ISLAMABAD:

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday urged parents and employers to make joint efforts to eliminate child labour, as the country observed World Day Against Child Labour.

Over 12.5 million children in Pakistan are involved in child labour, according to the Child Rights Movement (CRM) National Secretariat. One in four households in Pakistan employed a child for domestic work, often in hazardous conditions, as per the International Labour Organisation (ILO). According to a provincial survey, working children accounted for 11.1 per cent of K-P's child population.

According to a statement from the President's House, President Zardari, in his message, called for efforts to protect children from exploitation, expressing hope for a future where children could "learn, play, and grow in a safe and dignified environment".

Stressing the need for collective action by governments, the president urged employers to "strictly follow child labour laws and ensure that their workplaces are free from exploitation."

He also called on parents and guardians to prioritise their children's education over "short-term gains". "I urge schools and teachers to identify children at risk of dropping out and keep them in classrooms."

Meanwhile, PM Shehbaz, while reaffirming the government's commitment to ending child labour, highlighted the role of "the federal and provincial governments, the private sector, educational institutions, media, and civil society" in preventing child labour, the APP reported.

"Children subjected to child labour not only face sexual and psychological abuse but they are also deprived of their fundamental right to education. They are robbed of their childhood," he said.

PM Shehbaz also noted that children from "developing countries are the most affected by the scourge of child labour." "Pakistan stands shoulder to shoulder with the global community in its fight against child labour," he added. He said that this year's theme, "Progress is clear, but there's more to do: let's speed up efforts!" highlights that while progress has been made, much more remains to be done.