Daily Times

Sir: Through your esteemed newspaper I would like to draw attention of ourelected government towards a very sensitive issue of child domestic labour in our country. Child domestic labour (CDL) is emerging as a more prevalent formof child labour. Children continue to be a source of cheap labour for families across the country.CDL under specific conditions described in ILO Convention 182 is considered as the worst form of child labour. Unfortunately, Pakistan has not been identified it as the worst form of child labour and in my view it is mainly due to the attitude of social acceptance of this form of child labour. Employers consider and perceive it as an act of benevolence though no education facilities and recreation opportunities are provided to these children.

It is an irony to share that for years, the media is reporting numerous cases of severe torture, abuse and death of child domestic labourers and no one knows the number of unreported cases.

After the 18th Amendment, Pakistan is still dealing with delegating massive administrative and legislative responsibilities to the provinces, and the provinces have so far failed to come up with comprehensive child labour legislation to ban employment under 14 years of age. Children working in homes are considered as an invisible form of domestic work and unfortunately no legislation has been made so far to ban domestic work.

Why have the authorities not dealt with the plight of child domestic workers? Do the innocent children who work for unlimited hours have no rights?

Theelected government of Pakistan should ratify ILO Domestic Workers Convention 189 and enact national legislation to grant domestic workers their rights and ban child domestic labour completely.The minimum age of employment under Employment of Children Act from 14 years to 16 years should be immediately increased to make it in line with Article 25-A of the Constitution of Pakistan; thereby allowing children to avail their fundamental right to free and compulsory education.

Sahiba Irfan Khan

Lahore

Published in Daily Times, July 21^st, 2017.