Pakistan: Sindh survey reveals 1.3 million children engaged in labour; majority employed in agriculture sector

The labour department, in partnership with UNICEF, officially launched the survey on Friday. It indicated that about two-thirds of the 1.3 million children are trapped in child labour in the agricultural sector, followed by manufacturing at 12.4 per cent and wholesale/retail trade at 10.8 per cent.

The survey found that the incidence of child labour in the province has decreased by nearly 50 per cent since the previous survey in 1996, when it was recorded at 20.6 per cent. It revealed that 10.3 per cent of children aged 5-17 are involved in child labour, highlighting a significant gender disparity with 13.7 per cent of boys and 6.6 per cent of girls engaged in it, as reported by Dawn.

The survey also found that 44.3 per cent of parents allow their children to work to help support family income, while 43.5 per cent of working children reported experiencing fatigue or injuries due to work-related tasks.

The survey noted that the highest rates of child labour were in Sujawal (35.1 per cent) and Tharparkar (25.6 per cent), whereas the lowest were observed in Malir (2.7 per cent) and Karachi South (3 per cent). According to the survey, 50.4 per cent of working children aged 10-17 are subjected to hazardous conditions, such as carrying heavy loads (29.8 per cent), exposure to extreme temperatures (28.1 per cent), and workplace abuse (17.5 per cent), as reported by Dawn.

The survey found that only 41.2 per cent of children in labour attend school, compared with 69.9 per cent of their non-working peers. Attendance rates decrease with age, with just 29.1 per cent of working adolescents aged 14-17 remaining in school, as highlighted by Dawn.

33.7 per cent of the poorest households have at least one child in labour, compared to only 3.8 per cent in the wealthiest households. Families receiving BISP support or facing economic difficulties show higher rates of child labour, as noted by Dawn. (ANI)