Rights activists have called for a comprehensive and well-structured strategy backed by strong political will to combat child labor.
They gathered at a local hotel in Lahore to discuss the challenges in addressing child labor. They also discussed opportunities and progress made by the government, NGOs, and other stakeholders in tackling this critical issue.
Search for Justice, a child rights-focused civil society organization, and the Children Advocacy Network (CAN) Pakistan, a coalition of local civil society organizations from 18 districts of Punjab, organised the event.
Iftikhar Mubarik, Executive Director of Search for Justice, stressed the urgent need for the Government of Punjab to prioritize child protection to ensure effective actions are taken to safeguard children from all forms of violence, abuse, and exploitation. He noted that addressing the scale of child labor is beyond the capacity of any single department or authority, highlighting the necessity of a comprehensive strategy and action plan supported by robust and efficient monitoring and accountability mechanisms. Mr. Mubarik pointed out that despite having a legal framework to combat child labor, the Punjab Child Labour Survey Report reveals that 13.4% of children are still engaged in various forms of child labor. He emphasized the importance of bringing all sectors under the legal purview of child labor laws to ensure they are properly inspected by relevant authorities to disengage child laborers. Mr. Mubarik also underscored that the mere existence of laws will not lead to significant change unless administrative bodies play an effective role in strengthening social protection programs and implementation mechanisms.
Rashida Qureshi, the Spokesperson of Children Advocacy Network- CAN Pakistan, expressed concern over the unsatisfactory progress in implementing Section 3 of the Punjab Domestic Workers Act 2019, which prohibits employing children under the age of 15 for domestic work. She highlighted that this should be a concern not only for administrative departments but also for the legislative stakeholders, as the legal instruments enacted by them are not sufficiently implemented to protect vulnerable groups of society.
She also demanded the Punjab Government to run consistent campaigns to change public behaviors and practices towards child protection, especially regarding child labour. She urged the Punjab Government to devise a clear strategy and action plan to ensure that every child is nurtured in a safe, secure, and protected environment free from all forms of violence, abuse, and exploitation.
Nadeem Ashraf, Member of the Punjab National Commission for Human Rights, shared that they have initiated the development of a comprehensive child labour eradication policy.
Abeeha Batool, a 16-year-old member of the Child Protection Forum, who recently participated in the Annual Day on the Rights of the Child organized by the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, and was selected as a member of the Children Advisory Team of the National Commission on the Rights of Children, called for the promotion of inclusive social protection with a strong focus on child rights in the development of social protection policies. She stressed that many children living with disabled parents, in women-headed households, or belonging to other marginalized groups may require social protection support.
Fatima Tahir, Project Officer at the Aminah Protection & Learning Centre supported by Human Appeal, emphasized the urgent need for comprehensive child protection models that effectively address the diverse needs of children within communities.
Muhammad Shahid, Director of the Labour & Human Resource Department, announced the launch of the telephonic helpline 1314, enabling citizens to report any instances of child labor in work establishments. He highlighted a significant upcoming proposal to raise the minimum age for children’s employment to 16 years, aligning with Article 25-A of the Constitution of Pakistan, which underscores the government’s commitment to prioritizing children’s right to education.
