Summary President Asif Ali Zardari has urged all segments of society to play their role in eliminating child labour and ensuring that every child in Pakistan has access to education.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have urged all segments of society to play their role in eliminating child labour and ensuring that every child in Pakistan has access to education, safety and opportunities for a better future.
In his message on the World Day Against Child Labour, observed on June 12, the president said Pakistan joined the international community in reaffirming its commitment to protecting children from exploitation and guaranteeing their right to education.
He said the protection of children was firmly rooted in the Constitution, noting that Article 11 prohibited slavery, forced labour and the employment of children in hazardous occupations, while Article 25-A guaranteed free and compulsory education for all children between the ages of five and sixteen.
“These constitutional provisions define a clear responsibility for the State to safeguard childhood and support education,” the president said.
Highlighting the adverse impact of child labour, President Zardari said children engaged in work were often forced to leave school or lag behind in their studies, limiting their opportunities and undermining skills development. He added that child labour also placed additional burdens on families already facing economic hardships.
“Ensuring that children remain in education is not only a matter of protection but also essential for long-term social and economic well-being,” he said.
The president noted that Pakistan continued to take measures at both federal and provincial levels to reduce child labour and strengthen child protection mechanisms. He said the government’s efforts remained focused on prevention, enforcement of existing laws and providing support to children so they could return to education and a stable environment.
Calling for a collective national effort, President Zardari urged parents, employers, teachers, religious leaders, civil society organizations and citizens to contribute to protecting children from exploitation and keeping them in schools.
“A society is judged by how it treats its children,” he said, stressing that every child in Pakistan must have the opportunity to learn, grow and build a secure future.
PM SHEHBAZ SHARIF
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that every child is protected from exploitation and provided with every possible opportunity to build a bright future through education.
The prime minister highlighted that the complete eradication of child labour is indispensable for national economic and social development as well as social justice. The progress of nations, the strength of their future workforce, and the optimal development and utilization of children’s mental and physical potential depend upon environment enabling them to thrive with protection against exploitation.
Pakistan’s commitment to this cause at the international level is reflected in its ratification of the relevant ILO Conventions concerning the minimum age for employment and the elimination of the worst forms of child labour, the prime minister said adding that the Government of Pakistan is implementing a comprehensive strategy aimed at the complete elimination of child labour.
Special emphasis is being placed on legislative reforms, effective enforcement, social protection, education, and economic empowerment in order to address the root causes of child labour.
Promoting decent work and eliminating child labour remain key policy priorities of the Government. The National Commission on the Rights of Child (NCRC) is playing an important role in monitoring children’s rights and advancing compliance with national and international obligations in this regard. At the federal level, the Child Protection Institute, and at the provincial level, Child Protection Authorities, Child Protection and Welfare Bureaus, and Child Protection Units are providing the vulnerable and disadvantaged children with protection, support, and opportunities for dignified rehabilitation and reintegration into society, the prime minister added.
He said the Government is also working closely with all relevant stakeholders, including employers’ and workers’ organizations.
He pointed out that provincial governments have undertaken commendable legal and administrative measures to combat child labour. District Vigilance Committees under bonded labour laws, as well as specialized units dealing with child labour and bonded labour cases, have been established across all provinces. These initiatives reflect our national commitment to the protection, rehabilitation, and support of vulnerable children.
The Government fully recognizes that poverty remains one of the principal drivers of child labour. Therefore, despite resource constraints, it continues to implement social protection programmes, educational support schemes, and initiatives aimed at expanding opportunities for decent employment, the prime minister said adding that the Waseela-e-Taleem initiative under the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) and the Child Labour Schools operated by Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal are rendering valuable services in this regard.
Children are the architects of our nation’s future. Every possible effort is being made to safeguard their future and nurture their talents and potential. Through the Daanish Schools initiative, thousands of deserving children across the country are receiving quality education and advancing towards a brighter future.
“Our continued collaboration with the International Labour Organization, UNICEF, the European Union, and other development partners is helping to accelerate progress towards stronger labour governance and the elimination of child labour.”
The prime minister called upon employers, workers, parents, teachers, civil society organizations, religious leaders, the media, and the private sector to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Government in this national cause of protecting children from exploitation. This is a shared responsibility that demands collective action.
Let us work together to build a Pakistan where every child is educated, safe, empowered, and provided with equal opportunities to contribute meaningfully to the nation’s development and prosperity, the prime minister remarked.
