Daily Times

Bonded child labor is a form of slavery in which children are forced to work to repay debts incurred by their parents or guardians. Child labor is a dark stain on humanity. This practice persists despite international efforts to eradicate it, accumulated for them by their parents or even guardians. Children’s labor is one of those things that cannot be described as any good because even though there has been an international effort to end it, it persists in human history. Child-bonded labor in tobacco growing and associated businesses still prevails worldwide and concerns numerous children’s destinies for good. The issue is that it is common to ignore it when the same is done in the tobacco industry, especially in developing countries.

Child labor in the tobacco industry is prevalent in African, Asian, and Latin American countries. Bonded child labor in the tobacco sector is commonplace in Asia. Approximately 30 % of children who work in agriculture do so in tobacco farming in Africa. Child labor is prevalent in Asian countries that produce tobacco, including India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. This problem occurs in Latin America. Child labor occurs in countries such as Brazil and Malawi.

According to ILO statistics, the world has over 152 million child workers, with more than

73 million involved in dangerous jobs. Tobacco is one of the biggest industries involving child labor; approximately 100,000 children are estimated to work in cultivating and producing the crop due to poverty, limited knowledge, and few job opportunities. The existing data do not contain exact figures or statistics on child laborers in Pakistan’s tobacco industry.

Child labor in tobacco farming is a major issue prevalent in Pakistan, where over 50 % of tobacco farms employ children. These are children who can work for long hours in dangerous conditions and are exposed to the most poisonous chemicals. They also face physical and sexual abuse.

Children working in the tobacco industry were expected to perform arduous duties such as growing, picking, or curing tobacco leaves. Because they are involved in these activities, they are exposed to adverse ingredients such as nicotine and pesticides,

resulting in adverse health effects. In addition, numerous children work under inhumane circumstances and are subjected to harsh physical, sexual, and emotional violations.

In Pakistan, children are often forced to work in tobacco curing sheds, where they string tobacco leaves and hang them to dry. These sheds are often hot and humid, and children can develop respiratory problems.

The Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC) indicates that many children are engaged in dangerous work conditions within tobacco farms in regions such as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. It is common for such children to be denied formal education and all other human and social rights, as the family has to put all its energy into tobacco cultivation.

The impact of bonded child labor in the tobacco industry is devastating. Moreover, children compelled to work in a tobacco factory rarely have access to formal education while being exposed to dangerous substances and unsafe working environments. They also face the threat of physical and psychosomatic abuse.

The Pakistani government has tried to deal with the issue of child labor in the tobacco industry. For instance, it has passed an Act to curb child labor. It is also operationalizing a national task force for this purpose. However, more is needed to enforce the law and offer education or other services to children in growing tobacco regions.

However, it should be noted that ending bonded labor in the tobacco sector is a complex challenge that requires collective efforts by different parties, including the government, tobacco firms, and civil society.

Several measures can assist in tackling bonded child labor in the tobacco industry. Governments must protect against child labor by enforcing these laws by providing education and other services for children in tobacco-growing environments. In addition, the tobacco industry should also make sure that children are not employed during the production of tobacco commodities supplied to them.

Strengthening law enforcement would reduce the incidence of bonded laborers within Pakistan’s tobacco sector. It covers inspecting bonded labor in tobacco farms and factories and taking criminal action against offenders.

Way forward

Bonded child labor in the tobacco industry is a pandemic phenomenon of global dimensions that requires instantaneous attention and actions by government, firms, and civil society groups. Laws need to be enforced, increased awareness created, and efforts made toward promoting education to stop this exploitation process that traps innocent children into laboring and suffering. By doing things together, we could lay down foundations for a bright future free of child labor, in which each child would have access to knowledge, gain experience, and develop.

The writer is a Global Public Health Consultant and can be reached at : ziauddin.islam@gmail.com