ARACHI (By Manzoor Ali/ENN) The speakers of a workshop have emphasized to activate the Provincial Coordination Committee on Child Labour, which was to be established under the Sindh Prohibition of Employment of Children Act, 2017.
Soeakers while addressing the meeting of the Technical Working Group on Child Domestic Labour in Sindh organized by Legal Rights Forum (LRF) in collaboration with Sindh Child Protection Authority, Government of Sindh at a local hotel on Monday,
pointed out that despite the fact the child labour law was made in 2017 so far the important body for implementation of the law, the Provincial Coordination Committee on Child Labour, has not been established.
The Committee is empowered, under the law to advise the provincial government to make or amend the appropriate legislation, take administrative and other measures for eradication of child labour as per international instruments and to set the minimum age, for employment in the province.
Currently, under this act, a child below the age of 14 years cannot be employed in Sindh.
Speaking on the occasion, a Member of National Commission on the Rights of Child Pirbhu Lal Satyani said that there is no separate law for child domestic labour in any province or at the federal level. He underlined the need that either a separate law or amendment in existing laws have to be made to contain and eradicate child domestic labour. For this purpose, he recommended that all stakeholders including government officials, parliamentarians and civil society should agree to outlaw child domestic labour through an amendment to the existing laws like Sindh Child Protection Authority Act.
Moreover, he pointed out the development of comprehensive protocols that outline the roles and responsibilities of each department regarding child domestic labour cases, reporting mechanisms etc.
Speaking on the occasion, LRF Chief Executive Officer Malik Tahir Iqbal advocate said that his organization plans to develop a set of recommendations for a draft legislation on child domestic labour in Sindh. He said consultations have been held with parliamentarians, government officials and non-state actors for this purpose.
Director General, Sindh Child Protection Authority Asghar Ghanghro said that the Authority is working for the protection of children. For containing Child Domestic Labour, he suggested that the labour department should evolve a mechanism.
He said there should not be duplication in legislation and a clear-cut mandate be provided for protection of the working children from exploitation and violence.
Those who also spoke on the occasion included Iqbal Detho, Aslam Sheikh, Faisal Iqbal, National Project Coordinator, ILO; Rizwaza from UNICEF; Rana Asif Habib, Executive Director of Initiator Human Development Foundation; Shahid Shafiq, Senior Faculty Member, Sindh Judicial Academy; Amir Mugheri, Provincial Manager, Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Services, Mahmood Ahmed, advocate and others.
