Abstract:
In recent years, the sensitive issue of child labour has received
world-wide attention and has become the focus of serious discussion in
developing as well as developed countries. Any exact information on child
labour is usually hard to come by as most of the children work in the
unorganised informal sector, which is neither regulated by labour laws nor
is monitored by any organisation. These working children are usually
illiterate and start working at a very early age, are inexperienced and
vulnerable, they usually work long hours in deplorable conditions, have no
medical cover, go without sufficient and proper food and clothing, and get
little rest and recreation. In this paper, an attempt has been made to
analyse the major causes of female child labour in the city of Multan and
certain measures and policies have been suggested which could help in
bringing an end to this inhumane practice. Legislation against child labour
is not an ideal solution in a country such as Pakistan. The child labour
phenomena is not as simple as it appears and needs consideration in the
context of the microeconomics of the family and population growth and
macroeconomics of the social security structure of a country,
unemployment, underemployment, opportunity cost and productivity of
formal education. There are very few studies on child labour in Pakistan
and on female child labour, hardly any study can be found. Data has been
collected for 60 female child labourers, employed as maidservants, baby
sitters and other household activities etc. Most of these female children
work in the houses of educated and well off people who are usually against
child labour. This exploitation of child labour cannot be stopped by child
labour laws only. In this regard, other measures such as more facilities for
education and vocational training are indispensable. A group of social
volunteers comprising workers, employers, government officers, media
experts, members of non-government organisations and educationists
should make earnest and sincere efforts to achieve the objective of
minimising child labour and improve their living conditions as much as
possible.
