Will they be free?

On Tuesday (June 12), World Child Labour Day was observed across the world. The recent UNICEF and ILO studies reveal that around 168 million children aged between five and 17 years worldwide are engaged in child labour. In Pakistan, almost 11 million children are involved in child labour and 264,000 others work in domestic settings despite the fact that employment of people under the age of 14 is constitutionally prohibited.

These labour practices have taken a toll on children’s mental and physical health. They are also been deprived of their right to education, healthcare, safety and childhood. The primary cause for child labour is abject poverty, which leaves people with no alternative other than to engage their children in child labour. It is time the government took immediate action to enforce and implement laws that impose a ban on child labour in letter and spirit.

Assad Ali Baloch

Dadu

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World Child Labour Day is commemorated to raise awareness about the bitter consequences of child labour. Children who are free from the burden of child labour are able to fully understand their rights to education, leisure and healthy development. As a result, it provides them with the crucial foundation for broader social and economic development, poverty elimination and human rights.

If we are to honour our commitment to end child labour, we need to take effective action in a timely manner.

Ali Sher

Shikarpur