Child labour trend rises in world: ILO

The ILO is drawing attention to this urgent issue by commissioning new studies in Pakistan to examine occupational risks to children working in ten sectors, she said.

Preliminary results show that one of the highest rates of injury is being found in stone-crushing where children's lungs are damaged by silica dust and they suffer bone injuries, she added.

Amputations have been documented of children in small workshops and repair shops.

These studies are breaking new ground in documenting psycho-social damage in the brick kilns, she said.

Representatives of Provincial governments from Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan are meeting for four days this week to examine the results of these studies and to develop strategies for addressing this urgent problem which jeopardizes the future employability of our youth.

This workshop is being conducted under the ILO project, Combating Abusive Child Labour, funded by the EL, now in its third year.

Its aim is to strengthen the provincial child labour units and build a strong foundation of laws to protect our children and youth from hazardous work. In the workshop, three Provincial Governments reported that they have already commenced steps to identify hazardous processes and trades in their respective localities and have developed a list of work that is 'off limits' to children because of the danger it poses.

"We are convinced that hazardous work of children in specified sectors can be eradicated, given a concerted effort by Government, employers, and workers and civil society," Margaret Read-Rounds said.

She also said, Pakistan has already taken note-worthy steps that need now to be expanded. She also highlighted that seven million people have been affected by floods in Sindh.

There is need to highlight that children do not enter in Hazardous forms of child labour.

Mr. Sujeewa Fonseka, Chief Technical Advisor ILO-IPEC said that Pakistan will be gaining a new understanding of the extent and nature of hazardous child labour as it is planning to conduct a major new statistical survey in 2012.

Haji Muhammad Javed, President Employers' Federation, noting that employers are responsible for providing a safe workplace and decent work conditions for all employees, assured his organization's continued support to the child labour elimination programme in Pakistan.

The representatives of the four provincial government also assured their fullest efforts for setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual improvement in workplace for safety and health.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011