Child rights: ‘Ban domestic child labour’

SPARC said Pakistan is among the few countries in the world where child labour has increased over the last few years

LAHORE: Domestic child labour must be added to the schedule of banned occupations under the Employment of Children Act 2011, Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC) Child Rights Club said in a statement issued on Friday. SPARC said that Pakistan is among the few countries in the world where child labour has increased over the last few years. It said that a 2011 survey of the Federal Bureau of Statistics stated that 3.8 million out of 40 million children in 5-14 years range in Pakistan were working. It said that 50 per cent of economically active children fell in the 5-9 years age bracket. It said that legislation was required for a complete ban on child labour.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 9^th, 2012.