Child Labor:
Child Labour is an important and a serious global issue through which all and sundry countries of the world are directly or indirectly affected. In Pakistan children aged 5-14 are above 40 million. In 2009, the Federal Bureau of Statistics released the results of its survey funded by ILO’s IPEC (International Program on the Elimination of Child Labour) which states that 3.8 million children age group of 5-14 years are working in Pakistan out of total 40 million children in this age group; fifty percent of these economically active children are in age group of 5 to 9 years. Even out of these 3.8 million economically active children, 2.7 million were claimed to be working in the agriculture sector.
Millions of children in Pakistan suffer under a system of bonded labor. The bonded labor system consists of giving advances of “peshgi” (bonded money) to a person. As long as all or part of the peshgi debt remains outstanding, the debtor/worker is bound to the creditor/employer. In case of sickness or death, the family of the individual is responsible for the debt, which often passes down from generation to generation. In the case of children, the peshgi is paid to a parent or guardian, who then provides the child to work off the debt. Bonded labor has long been a feature in brick kilns, carpet industries, agriculture, fisheries, stone/brick crushing, shoe-making, power looms, and refuse sorting. The Insan Dost Association (IDA) estimates that 1.1 million children are bonded in brick kiln industry in Pakistan. Half a million are allegedly bonded in the carpet industry alone.
Children of kiln workers are not accessing educational service because of poverty, bondage and low mobility of kiln workers and their families, lack of schools near brick kilns, and the lack of an effort by the education department to enroll children of bonded labourers. Past experience shows that when children of bonded labourers get education, they become aware of their rights, are able to handle basic accounts (and thereby calculate income, interest, and other information which is critical in order to reduce bondage), and tend to have greater vocational choices.
IDA is specifically focusing on providing non-formal education to children that will help liberate the children from the shackles of the brick kiln owners. It will help redress the issue of child labor and bondage of children at brick kilns by providing a healthy and constructive environment to the children. The deprived children could have the opportunity to become aware and learn about their rights and will be able to read and write and check their accounts & products. Once out of bondage they will be able to make career choices about their future. The education will help them to be placed in different fields of their choice. Those who go back to work in brick kilns will be equipped with education that will help them to fight for their rights and get out of bondage. IDA is also putting efforts through its various projects to developing linkages with Government and private schools to enroll the children.
Millions of children in Pakistan suffer under a system of bonded labor. The bonded labor system consists of giving advances of “peshgi” (bonded money) to a person. As long as all or part of the peshgi debt remains outstanding, the debtor/worker is bound to the creditor/employer. In case of sickness or death, the family of the individual is responsible for the debt, which often passes down from generation to generation. In the case of children, the peshgi is paid to a parent or guardian, who then provides the child to work off the debt. Bonded labor has long been a feature in brick kilns, carpet industries, agriculture, fisheries, stone/brick crushing, shoe-making, power looms, and refuse sorting. The Insan Dost Association (IDA) estimates that 1.1 million children are bonded in brick kiln industry in Pakistan. Half a million are allegedly bonded in the carpet industry alone.
Children of kiln workers are not accessing educational service because of poverty, bondage and low mobility of kiln workers and their families, lack of schools near brick kilns, and the lack of an effort by the education department to enroll children of bonded labourers. Past experience shows that when children of bonded labourers get education, they become aware of their rights, are able to handle basic accounts (and thereby calculate income, interest, and other information which is critical in order to reduce bondage), and tend to have greater vocational choices.
IDA is specifically focusing on providing non-formal education to children that will help liberate the children from the shackles of the brick kiln owners. It will help redress the issue of child labor and bondage of children at brick kilns by providing a healthy and constructive environment to the children. The deprived children could have the opportunity to become aware and learn about their rights and will be able to read and write and check their accounts & products. Once out of bondage they will be able to make career choices about their future. The education will help them to be placed in different fields of their choice. Those who go back to work in brick kilns will be equipped with education that will help them to fight for their rights and get out of bondage. IDA is also putting efforts through its various projects to developing linkages with Government and private schools to enroll the children.
