Violence against children remains a widely prevalent scourge in Pakistan, despite the best efforts of activists and NGOs and several government interventions. While the country has a reasonable legal framework to safeguard children’s rights, local ‘culture’ and ‘traditions’ mean it is not uncommon to see well-kept child workers
KARACHI: Apropos the letter “Ghost Teachers” published on September 19, 2024, the issue of ghost schools is another sad reality in Pakistan’s education system. These schools exist only in name, with buildings left abandoned and teachers still collecting salaries without fulfilling their responsibilities. However, the problem goes beyond
CHILD begging, the ugliest form of child labour, is a curse on society. Ravaged by disease, crime, exploitation and drug abuse, hundreds of poor children populate Karachi’s intersections and street corners. The Sindh Child Protection Authority informed the Sindh Assembly recently that it was, in coordination with the
‘Under the Blaze’ presents a compelling tale of a child forced to trade his future for perilous conditions Rawalpindi. A child extends his skinny arms to place a warm, rust-coloured brick in a long line of freshly baked blocks laid out to dry under the blistering sun that
THE provinces of Sindh and Punjab have, with the assistance of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), prepared draft labour codes. These new codes refashion the current fragmented labour laws. The codes are designed to comply with international labour standards by extending protection to all people who work for the first time in
It is deeply unfortunate that millions of Pakistani children endure poverty and are forced into labor, a harsh reality that has persisted for years. These children work in factories due to dire economic conditions, often in extreme heat without basic rights like food or education. Imagine a child
Pakistan has many legislations for the protection of women and safeguarding women’s rights but the burning question is the implementation of those laws and delayed justice. According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) approximately 1,000 women are killed in honour killings annually. These figures differ and
The National Commission on the Rights of Child (NCRC) Action Plan for 2023-2026 aims to improve the enforcement of child rights in Pakistan through collaborative efforts of state and non-state actors. It outlines three main goals which are to increase awareness and mobilization for child rights, enhance enforcement
ON assuming power after his landslide victory in West Pakistan in the 1970 elections, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto introduced five labour welfare laws and brought in amendments in other laws applicable to industrial and commercial establishments. These laws pertained to the education of workers’ children, the constitution of a
“Situation Analysis of Child Labour in Punjab” is a report by SFJPK which provides a concise overview of the situation analysis of child labour in Punjab. Punjab, the most populous province in Pakistan, faces significant challenges in addressing child labour. The Punjab Child Labour Survey (PCLS) 2019-2020 revealed
Not just the first such incident, and will not be the last unless stringent labour protection measures are put to practice. Another coalmine incident, in Harnai district of Balochistan, claimed the lives of a dozen workers on 20 March 2024. Hundreds of miners die from mining accidents in
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Child Labour Survey (KPCLS) 2022 is the first child labour survey to provide district level results in the province. Earlier in 1996 a National CLS was carried out at provincial/territory level in Pakistan. The 2022 KPCLS provides unique information about the living conditions of children