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Express Tribune
5 days ago
- General
- Express Tribune
Invisible workers
According to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, children have the right to education and the right to play - for the simple fact that they are children. Nothing else is meant to be expected of them. It is during the crucial beginning years that children learn about the world, understand their role in it and exercise their curiosity to develop skills that will help them later in life. But due to lax regulations, poverty and low literacy rates, the children of Sindh remain deprived of the basic tenets of childhood. A recent survey conducted by the Sindh Labour Department, assisted by UNICEF and the Bureau of Statistics Sindh, revealed that over 1.6 million children aged 10 to 17 are involved in some form of labour, of which 50.4 per cent are exposed to hazardous and exploitative conditions. Excessive working hours with inadequate food and water are deplorably a norm, but many children are even forced to handle unsafe tools and machinery. While child labour has significantly decreased as compared to 1996, the numbers that stand today are no cause for celebration. There are approximately 4.1 million out-of-school children in Sindh and child labour practices dramatically exacerbate this crisis, specially for girls aged 14 to 17 who have to manage a 'second shift' with household chores. The complexity of the child labour crisis demands compound solutions. Families living in poverty often resort to sending their kids into employment or bonded labour believing they have no other viable option. This crisis is the culmination of low literacy, poor family planning, inflation and opportunistic business practices. Therefore, merely outlawing child labour will never be enough. The rulers must protect children by providing free education and ensuring that their families are not left to suffer as a result.
Express Tribune
7 days ago
- General
- Express Tribune
Child labour data reveals alarming trends
A survey, conducted after 28 years, has revealed alarming data that over 1.6 million children aged 10 to 17 are engaged in different forms of labour, many in dangerous and exploitative environments, across Sindh. The Sindh Child Labour Survey 2022-2024, conducted by the Sindh Labour Department with technical assistance from Unicef and the Bureau of Statistics Sindh, revealed that 50.4 per cent of working children between ages 10 and 17 are exposed to hazardous conditions including excessive working hours, extreme weather, and unsafe tools and machinery. Director General Labour, Muhammad Ali Shah, who led the project, said that the report has been submitted to the provincial government for action. He mentioned a significant decline in child labour compared to the 1996 national baseline — nearly 50 per cent lower — but emphasised that the numbers are still deeply concerning. According to the findings, school attendance among working children is just 40.6 per cent, in contrast to 70.5 per cent among non-working children. Educational participation drops significantly with age, particularly among girls aged 14 to 17, who also shoulder the bulk of household chores — averaging 13.9 hours of unpaid domestic work per week. This contributes heavily to school dropout rates. District-level data shows wide disparities. Qambar Shahdadkot tops the list with a child labour prevalence of 30.8 per cent, followed by Tharparkar at 29 per cent, Tando Muhammad Khan at 20.3 per cent, and Shikarpur at 20.2 per cent. Karachi has the lowest rate, at just 2.38 per cent. The report also draws a strong correlation between poverty and child labour. In the poorest households, 33.7 per cent reported having at least one child engaged in work.
