Call to end ‘child labour in supply chains'

HYDERABAD: On the occasion of the Annual World Day against Child Labour, the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC) joins the global community in reaffirming its commitment to ending child labour in all its forms. This year's theme, 'End Child Labour in Supply Chains – It's Everyone's Business!' underscores the urgent need for collaborative efforts across sectors to eliminate child exploitation.
According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), an estimated 168 million children around the world continue to be engaged in child labour. Over half of them are subjected to the worst forms of child labour, including hazardous work, bonded labour, and exploitation in illicit activities such as drug trafficking and armed conflict. In Pakistan, the absence of recent national statistics hampers efforts to address the issue effectively.
The last National Child Labour Survey, conducted in 1996, estimated 3.3 million child labourers. However, recent ILO and UNICEF figures suggest this number may have surged to between 10 and 12 million, with a significant number working in informal sectors unmonitored by labour inspectors.
Alarmingly, approximately 264,000 children are engaged in domestic labour alone. SPARC is especially concerned about the growing prevalence of child labour in the brick kiln sector, a form of exploitation that is often hidden and deeply rooted in cycles of poverty and lack of education.
In response, SPARC has initiated non-formal education centres in Umerkot and Hyderabad districts to provide vulnerable children with educational opportunities and a pathway out of labour. On this occasion, Omer Imran Programme Director and Kashif Bajeer, Regional Manager of SPARC, emphasized:
'Child labour is not only a violation of children's rights but a reflection of systemic failure. We urge the Sindh Government to take immediate steps to establish non-formal education centres in all brick kilns across the province. Without education and enforcement of child protection laws, we cannot break the cycle of poverty and exploitation.'
Although Pakistan has declared education a fundamental right under Article 25-A of the Constitution, implementation remains weak. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has taken a lead by enacting legislation to ban child labour, but other provinces lag behind.
Importantly, Punjab is the only province that has enacted a separate law to specifically protect children working in brick kilns – The Punjab Prohibition of Child Labour at Brick Kilns Act 2016 (Act XXXVII of 2016).
SPARC demands that other provinces follow this example and introduce province-specific legislation to eliminate child labour in the brick kiln sector. Let June 12th be a turning point. Let us act – not just observe – to ensure a childhood free from exploitation for every child in Pakistan.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

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