Pakistan's development rests on backs of child labourers as 1.6 million children are exploited in Sindh
Over 1.6 million children in Sindh, aged between five and 17 years, are trapped in child labour, according to the Sindh Child Labour Survey 2022-2024, as reported by Dawn. The survey, conducted by the provincial labour department with technical support from UNICEF and the Bureau of Statistics Sindh, paints a grim picture of child welfare in the province.
According to Dawn, the survey found that 50.4 per cent of children aged 10-17 engaged in child labour were working under hazardous conditions, including long hours, exposure to extreme temperatures, and use of unsafe tools. These children face daily risks that threaten their physical and mental well-being.
Labour Director General Muhammad Ali Shah, who served as the project director for the survey, told Dawn that while the overall incidence of child labour has declined by nearly 50 per cent compared to 1996, when 20.6 per cent of Sindh's child population was in labour, the sheer number of children still involved remains alarming.
The survey also uncovered a stark divide in school attendance between working and non-working children. Only 40.6 per cent of children involved in labour attend school, compared to 70.5 per cent of their non-working peers. Attendance sharply declines as working children age, the report highlighted.
According to Dawn, the burden is especially heavy for girls aged 14 to 17, who perform an average of 13.9 hours of household chores per week and face higher dropout rates.
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Child labour remains strongly correlated with poverty, with 33.7 per cent of the poorest households reporting at least one child in labour. Furthermore, 20.1 per cent of working children reported symptoms of depression, nearly double the rate of children not involved in labour, noted the survey.
The highest child labour rates were recorded in Qambar Shahdadkot (30.8 per cent), Tharparkar (29 per cent), Shikarpur (20.2 per cent), and Tando Muhammad Khan (20.3 per cent), with Karachi recording the lowest at 2.38 per cent, according to Dawn.
The findings underscore the urgent need for targeted policy interventions and poverty alleviation to protect vulnerable children. Without decisive action, the cycle of exploitation, poor education, and mental distress will persist for millions across Sindh.
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