Violence against child workers condemned

During last 4 years, at least 52 cases of torture on child domestic workers have surfaced, which include 24 deaths.

ISLAMABAD:

Against the backdrop of increasing violence against children in the country, rights activists have urged the government to ban child domestic labour.

They were speaking at a demonstration held outside the National Press Club on Thursday by the Child Rights Movement (CRM)- a coalition of 150 non-governmental organisations.

The speakers urged elected representatives to take the lead in making their constituencies child labour free.

According to CRM activists, at least six cases of torture on child domestic workers have been reported just in January, resulting in four deaths.

During the last four years, at least 52 cases of torture on child domestic workers have surfaced, which include 24 deaths, according to the CRM.

Around 20 CRM activists from around the country participated in the protest. They were joined by members of other human rights coalitions.

The protesters chanted slogans against the government for its lack of concern about incidents of violence against child workers by their employers. They said India has banned the employment of children below the age of 14 as domestic servants and Pakistan followed suit, as the country was already a signatory to the 1999 International Labour Organisation Convention on Worst Forms of Child Labour.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24^th, 2014.