Children collect garbage from a sewage drain to earn a living and support their families in Bahar Colony. According to SPARC, a national survey conducted in 2010 revealed 12 million child labourers were working in the country. PHOTO: PPI
The Society for Protection of the Rights of the Child (Sparc) on Tuesday demanded the Khyber-Pahtunkhwa (K-P) government ban child labour under the Employment of Child Act (ECA), 1991.
Briefing reporters on the eve of World Day against Child Labour, Sparc Regional Manager Jahanzeb Khan said legislation for child rights fell under the purview of the provincial government following the 18th Amendment. “But nothing has been done in this regard as yet,” he lamented.
Khan demanded an increase in the minimum age of employment from 14 to 16 years, in order to allow children to avail their right to education granted by the Constitution.
Khan pointed out the last provincial survey on child labour was carried out in 1996, and demanded the government commission a new study to obtain updated results.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 12th, 2013.
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Having rights is a different thing, but can we have the means of education too?