Do we really want to end child labour? A deep soul-searching question: every person needs to ask and answer. Child labour: the vicious circle continues despite the creation of policies, rules and regulations as well as various types of awareness programs.
Yasmeen is a baby herself – a mere eight-year-old but is responsible for two infants. She must feed them, change their pampers and look after other household tasks. She has a 24-hour duty without break.
Child labour can be observed around us in multiple forms; yet we display apathy towards this pertinent social issue, and it continues to prevail. It’s not our own children who are being forced to work; why should we worry? After all who would do all our domestic chores, if we do not employ these children. It is an unfortunate reality that we employ children because we can underpay them, scold and push them around. A significant number of cases have been reported over the past years where children employed as domestic help have been subjected to extreme violence. Some have been burnt and others have been brutally beaten, locked and kept without food and treated in an inhumane way. Yet, we continue to employ them. We are the culprits who continue to abuse and exploit children for our comfort and monetary gain. They cook, clean, baby sit, wash, polish shoes and are always at our beck and call. Regrettably, domestic child labour continues to be the most pressing and neglected child’s right issue in Pakistan.
We are the ones who are stripping them of their right to acquire education, play and learn. Rather than being engaged in a happy childhood experience these children are subjected to exploitation and trauma at brick kilns – victim of bonded labour: carrying bricks rather than bags. With their weather-beaten faces and sunken eyes their exhausted bodies labouriously continue to perform the monotonous and rigorous tasks. Who will save these children from this plight? When will we realize that the children of this nation are as precious as our own children?
Although United Nations has declared 2021 as the international year of elimination of child labour yet there is no end to this social evil in the foreseeable future as according to UNICEF there are 3.3 million children engaged in child labour in Pakistan. Children are employed in various industries in Pakistan especially the carpet industry where ninety percent of the workforce comprise children. Their small hands can be seen busy at the Mechanic’s Shop: cleaning the automobiles and spare parts ; at ‘Dhabas” : serving tea and scrubbing the floors. “Chottu” is the popular name attributed to these young workers. Covered in dirt, oil and slime they present a picture of utter despair and deprivation. These children are the future of Pakistan. Should they not be in schools acquiring education? Who is to blame for their appalling condition?
Child labour is normal occurrence in Pakistan, where the poverty rate is extremely high and underprivileged segment of our society force their children to work despite the documented risks. Nearly every affluent family has employed a maid or child domestic help at one time or the other. So, the solution to some extent lies with the employers. Unless they do not change their mindset and discourage this practice, it will be difficult to eliminate child labour.
But we as a nation are not serious about resolving this issue. In fact, we do not give it any importance and do not consider it an issue at all. The horrific episodes of domestic child workers ranging from the ages of 16 to 10 years old make the headline for a day or two and then are forgotten. The lives of these children are stuck in the vortex of the same turmoil.
The question still remains unanswered: When will we say NO to child labour?
The writer is the editor of the Aitchisonian magazine and the French Tribune magazine at Aitchison College.