Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: After a brain storming discussion the senior management of the Ministry of Human Rights and some representatives of human rights organisations, on Wednesday, agreed upon the formulation of a committee that would make a final strategy for legislation to address the violence on domestic workers.

On the occasion almost all human rights organisations and other representatives from institutions concerned including the International Labour Organisation (ILO) shared their ideas for the comprehensive draft of a legislation for protection of children from labour and other domestic violence.

An official from the ILO said that for the purpose all stakeholders should be taken on board, adding that the religious scholars were very important to mobilise the community for elimination of violence on children.

While quoting the example of Polio vaccinations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), the official said when the Polio campaign was launched in the province, a large number of masses resisted the idea in the beginning while the people soon accepted the vaccinations when the religious scholars termed it right by the Islamic point of view.

He said: “We need to change the mindsets of the people completely, suggesting that the help line established in the ministry of human rights should also be more active, so that more and more people can get their required information”. He added that a majority of the people did not have awareness even about basic things.

Another official from the law ministry suggested that some certain sort of policy needed to be created through which the concept of compromise from parents could be mended.

An official from the National Commission of Human Development (NCHD) said that the commission had established 6000 units across the country and it had planned to train over 600 teachers in this regard, adding that the constitution of a literacy counter in each educational institution was also under the consideration of the Commission.

He further claimed that the “Maddrassas” (Religious schools) from all school of thoughts would be taken on board, adding that seminaries’ chiefs would be suggested to mobilise the masses to avert compromises for children by putting them to work before the age of 25.

While representing the health sector, an official from the Punjab Health department, said that the creation of a special psychologist post at each police station of the country would be helpful for ending the “Thana Culture”. Through this approach, he said, the people would also be able to consult the psychologist to examine the mental position of the child. While briefing the participants on existing laws and the Human Rights Ministry’s measures to eliminate violence on workers, the Secretary, Ministry of Human Rights, Rabiya Javeri Agha, quoted the Bonded Labour System Act 1992. The Act provides for the abolition of the bonded labour system with a view to preventing the economic and physical exploitation of the labour class in the country.

She also read Article 25-A of the constitution that obligates the state to provide free and compulsory education to all children from the age of 5 to 16 years while the minimum age for admission to full time employment is implied as 16 years. A legal expert however demanded to amend the age of 16 years to 25 years.