ANALYSIS OF THE PROBLEM

Pakistan’s population is estimated to be 140 million, with a very high proportion of the population below 15 year age group, i.e. 43.4%. According to the Planning Commission of Pakistan figures released in 2000-2001, 32.1% (40 million) Pakistanis were living below the poverty line. About half of the adults are said to be illiterate, and about 20 million children (5-14) are reported to be out of school. Widespread poverty, exponential population growth and misplaced national priorities are among the major reasons for poor human development indices. Absence of effective and sufficient “social safety nets” for the poor means that the vulnerable groups experience serious consequences.. In terms of human development, Pakistan ranks 144 out of 175 countries (UNDP Human Development Report). The GDP growth in Pakistan declined from over 6% in the 1980s to 3.8% in the 1990s and the country has the highest per capita external debt in South Asia. Credit facilities are limited to a select few and the majority of the people do not have access to public funds.

Education and Literacy

Adult literacy rates in the country and gross enrolment rates at the primary level are dismally low. Drop-out rates are very high. Although literacy rates (for 10+ age group) have improved over the past two decades, they are still low, especially in the rural areas. In 2001, estimated literacy rate was 50.5%, with 63% for males and 38% for females; (70% for urban areas and 39% for rural areas). Quality of education, especially in the public institutions, remains poor with shortage of trained and motivated teachers, high degree of teacher absenteeism and lack of teaching materials. Management issues and bureaucratic inefficiencies impact negatively on the effective utilization of budgetary allocations. Despite some improvement in girls’ participation in education at the primary level, the gender gap in enrolments is still well pronounced. A major area of concern is the high drop-out rate from primary schools. The National Plan of Action for EFA 2015 estimates net school enrolment at primary level to be around 12 million children out of a total of 18 million. The gross drop out rate is around 50% at the primary level in public sector schools, while net drop out is estimated at 30%. The three most common reasons for leaving school before completing primary school happen to be unwillingness of the child, un-affordability and child was needed at work, and for girls support was needed for household chores. So besides poverty and poor quality of education, child labour seems to be one of the pull factors responsible for the high drop out rate from the formal school system.

Child Labour Situation in Pakistan

The 1996 National Child Labour Survey conducted by the Pakistan Federal Bureau of Statistics found that 3.3 million out of the total 40 million children (5-14 age group) to be economically active on a full-time basis. According to this survey, out of the 3.3 million working children, 73 per cent (2.4 million) were boys and 27 per cent (0.9 million) girls. Children’s contribution to work in the rural areas is about eight times greater than to work in urban areas. The number of economically active children in the 10-14 age group is more than four times the children in the 5-9 age group. Rural children are mostly engaged in the agricultural sector (74%) whereas in the urban areas, most working children (31%) are engaged in the manufacturing sector. In both areas, the percentage of girls working in manufacturing and services is higher than that of boys. It is also observed that in non-agricultural sectors, most of the working children (93%) are engaged in informal activities. A considerable proportion of the working children (46%) are working more than the normal working hours i.e. 35 hours per week with 13% working for 56 hours or more per week. In urban area, 73% of the working children work more than the normal working hours compared to 42% who work more than normal hours in rural areas.

Pakistan ratified the ILO Convention 182 on worst forms of child labour in 2001. A list of hazardous forms of child labour in Pakistan was then prepared through exhaustive consultations among government officials, trade union representatives, employers associations, civil society organizations and academicians. The final list comprising 29 occupations, mutually agreed as worst forms of child labour was adopted in a national level workshop in 2002. In Punjab the two sectors recommended for immediate action were the surgical manufacturing industry and the tanneries.

Kasur Tanneries

ILO-IPEC commissioned a Baseline study in Kasur in 2003 to determine the extent of child labour in this sector and to assess options for possible interventions. This Baseline survey identified a total of 717 children, all boys, working in the tanneries of Kasur District. Out of these 333 were in 5-14 years age bracket and 384 in the 15-17 year age group. No girl child was found working in the tanneries in Kasur. The baseline survey also revealed that most working children start working in the tanneries to help out their families. The next significant reason given by the children is the desire to learn a trade. Some children reported that they were pressurized by the family to take up work in tanneries. Other reasons include low performance in schools and the compulsion to work because of father’s death, unemployment or addiction. A significant number of parents reported that their children dropped out of school and started working because they could not afford the cost of schooling. Other reasons given by the parents of working children include low academic achievement of their children; the need to augment family income and their disinterest in education.

ILO-IPEC also commissioned Center for Improvement of Working Conditions and Environment, Labour Department Government of Punjab to carry out an Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) study in the tanneries. This OSH study revealed that children suffer from disturbed sleep and pain in the lower back, neck and shoulders. They have poor personal hygiene and suffer from eye infections, cuts and bruises, skin diseases, and respiratory diseases. They also show signs of stunted height and weight. Physical punishment in the work place is also reported often. The children are also exposed to chemicals and suffer from dehydration, abdominal pains and ENT disorders.