CHILD LABOUR A SOCIAL ISSUE IN PAKISTAN DUE TO POVERTY
What is child labour? What is the main reason that it becomes a social issue in Pakistan?
The term “child labour” is often defined as work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development. It refers to work that: is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to children.
I would like to clarify the term “ Child Labour ”. All work done by children can’t be classified as child labour. If work, is not affecting the physical and mental health as well as schooling of children, then this type of work doesn’t fall in the category of Child Labour
As a general rule, the FLSA sets 14 years old as the minimum age for employment and limits the number of hours worked by minors under the age of 16.
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) suggests that poverty is the greatest single cause behind child labour. Pakistan has a per-capita income of approximately $1900
CHILD Labour forms in Pakistan
- Child labour in agriculture.
- Child labour and armed conflict.
- Commercial sexual exploitation of children.
- Child labour and domestic work.
- Migration and child labour.
- Mining and quarrying.
- Safe work for youth.
- Trafficking in children.
I live in a poor colony in Faisalabad. I know many families here who did not go for educating their child but just go for child labour because they see poverty ahead. They can’t afford high fees of the school, college and universities. They just think child labour is the only option to survive. We have to change the view of people and spread awareness about that. Most of the people in Pakistan do not know they are doing child labour.
SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM:
The solution to this problem is creating a social welfare organization that spread awareness and also educate deserving children free.
Awareness about the child labour law should be provided to parents. Also to the firms that have child labours in it.
This organization must spread awareness about this issue and then polish the students with their skills and make them expert in that skill. Then they should educate them about freelancing and Entrepreneurship.
So they can earn from there skills. This will help both in eradicating them from child labour and unemployment.
The experience to know about the real condition of the families and understanding their point of view help me broaden my mind more about this issue. If this issue is not resolved, it may damage the roots of the country on a broader perspective in future. We should have to start work on it as a nation.
I will end this will a simple quote:
