Over 1.6 million children engaged in child labour in Pakistan’s Sindh: Official – The Economic Times

Report on Child Labour in Sindh Province and its Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Executive Summary

A recent survey conducted in Pakistan’s Sindh province reveals that over 1.6 million children are engaged in child labour, a practice that directly contravenes multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The findings, from a survey conducted by the Sindh Director General of Labour with assistance from UNICEF and the Bureau of Statistics, highlight the significant challenges in achieving SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and SDG 1 (No Poverty). While provincial authorities have initiated measures to combat this issue, persistent poverty and lack of educational access remain critical barriers to progress.

2.0 Key Survey Findings

The survey, conducted in July-August, provides critical data on the prevalence and nature of child labour in the province.

• Overall Prevalence: Over 1.6 million children, representing 10.3% of the population aged 5-17, are engaged in child labour.
• Hazardous Work: Approximately 800,000 children (50.4% of working children aged 10-17) are employed in hazardous and exploitative conditions, particularly in the agriculture and industrial sectors. This directly undermines SDG Target 8.7, which calls for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour.
• Geographic Disparity: The prevalence of child labour varies significantly across districts, indicating deep-rooted regional inequalities, a challenge addressed by SDG 10.
  1. Qambar Shahdadkot: 30.8%
  2. Tharparkar: 29%
  3. Tando Muhammad Khan: 20.3%
  4. Shikarpur: 20.2%
  5. Karachi: 2.38% (lowest)
• Historical Context: Despite the high numbers, the report notes a significant decline of nearly 50% from the 20.6% prevalence rate recorded in 1996.

3.0 Impact on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The persistence of child labour in Sindh presents a major obstacle to the achievement of several core SDGs.

• SDG 4: Quality Education: The survey reveals a stark educational gap. Only 40.6% of working children attend school, compared to 70.5% of their non-working peers. This disparity severely hampers progress towards ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all.
• SDG 1: No Poverty: The report identifies poverty as a primary driver of child labour. Analysis from the Society for the Protection of Rights of Child (SPARC) indicates that 33.7% of the poorest households have at least one child engaged in work. This creates a vicious cycle where child labour perpetuates poverty across generations, making the goal of poverty eradication more difficult.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The findings are in direct opposition to SDG Target 8.7, which aims to end child labour in all its forms by 2025. The high number of children in hazardous work underscores the urgency of this challenge.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: While the government’s efforts to update laws and establish a task force align with building effective institutions, the scale of the problem indicates a need for stronger enforcement and protective mechanisms for children.

4.0 Institutional Responses and Recommendations

4.1 Current Government Initiatives

The provincial government has implemented a multi-faceted strategy to address the issue, focusing on strengthening institutional frameworks in line with SDG 16.

1. Updating and instituting laws to protect children.
2. Launching projects to educate the public on the illegalities of child labour.
3. Conducting raids at workplaces to protect children.
4. Establishing a special task force by the Chief Minister to mitigate and eliminate the practice.
5. Implementing social protection schemes to support poverty-ridden families, directly targeting SDG 1.

4.2 Recommendations for SDG Alignment

Activists and rights organizations emphasize that further action is required to address the root causes of child labour. To accelerate progress towards the SDGs, the following areas must be prioritized:

• Poverty Reduction: Implement robust poverty reduction strategies as the primary tool to prevent families from sending children to work (SDG 1).
• Enhanced Educational Access: Increase access to quality education, including technical and vocational training, for underprivileged children to provide them with viable alternatives to labour (SDG 4).
• Job Creation: Focus on creating decent work opportunities for adults to ensure household economic stability, thereby reducing the dependency on child income (SDG 8).

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The article’s central theme is child labour, which is a direct violation of decent work principles and a key concern of SDG 8. The text explicitly discusses the prevalence of children engaged in labour, including hazardous work.
• SDG 4: Quality Education: The article establishes a clear link between child labour and lack of education. It provides statistics showing that working children have significantly lower school attendance rates compared to non-working children, highlighting the educational disparity and the need for quality education for all.
• SDG 1: No Poverty: The article identifies poverty as a primary driver of child labour. It mentions that “poverty-ridden families” and the “poorest households” are more likely to have children engaged in work, directly connecting the issue to the goal of eradicating poverty.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 8.7 (under SDG 8): “Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour… and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms.” The article directly addresses this target by focusing on the “1.6 million children… engaged in child labour” and the “800,000 children… working in hazardous and exploitative conditions,” which constitutes the worst forms of child labour.
2. Target 4.1 (under SDG 4): “By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education…” The article’s finding that “only 40.6 per cent of working children attend school” demonstrates a failure to meet this target for a significant portion of the child population, directly linking child labour to a lack of access to education.
3. Target 1.2 (under SDG 1): “By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty…” The article implies this target by stating that “poverty, big families and a lack of empathy for children’s rights are the main reasons for the high percentage of child labour” and that “in the poorest households, 33.7 per cent reported had at least one child engaged in work.” This shows that reducing poverty is essential to tackling child labour.
4. Target 1.3 (under SDG 1): “Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all… and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable.” The article mentions that the “government had launched social protection schemes to support poverty-ridden families,” which is a direct action towards achieving this target.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator for Target 8.7: The official indicator is 8.7.1, “Proportion and number of children aged 5–17 years engaged in child labour, by sex and age group.” The article provides precise data for this indicator:
  • “Over 1.6 million children” are engaged in child labour in Sindh province.
  • This represents “10.3 per cent of children aged 5-17.”
  • The article also notes a historical data point for comparison: the rate was “20.6 per cent” in 1996, showing a decline.
  • It specifies that “800,000 children (50.4 per cent of those aged 10-17) are working in hazardous and exploitative conditions.”
• Indicator for Target 4.1: While the official indicator measures learning outcomes, school attendance is a crucial prerequisite. The article provides data that can serve as a proxy indicator for educational participation:
  • “Only 40.6 per cent of working children attend school.”
  • This is contrasted with “70.5 per cent of non-working children,” highlighting the educational gap.
• Indicator for Target 1.2: The article provides an indirect indicator linking poverty to child labour, which can be used to measure the vulnerability of poor households:
  • “In the poorest households, 33.7 per cent reported had at least one child engaged in work.” This percentage can be tracked over time to see if poverty reduction measures are decreasing the incidence of child labour among the poor.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Summary

Source: m.economictimes.com