SARGODHA: On the occasion of World Labor Day on Wednesday, child rights activists urged the government to take action to end child labor in kilns.
Bound Labor Freedom Front (BLLF) Secretary Ahmed Ghulam Naveed urged the government to implement the Child Protection Act in letter and spirit.
He said, child labor is particularly prevalent in sectors such as agriculture, factories, workshops, shops, hotels, brick kilns, weaving, packaging and construction.
Muhammad Khalil, executive member of the Pakistan Institute of Education and Labor Research (PILER) said that brick-making workers face wage problems and said that workers and children of workers who play an important role in strengthening the national economy should be given priority.
Sajid Khan, former manager of the Child Labor Eradication Program in the Department of Labor and Human Resources, Sargodha region, Punjab, said that the Punjab government has given rights to workers by taking measures for their welfare. He said 90,000 children of brick making workers are enrolled in various schools sponsored by the government to provide free education to former brick kiln workers.
In addition, more than $390 million in financial aid was awarded to children. He said that apart from the social welfare hospital and the labor colony, the establishment of quality educational institutions for the children of laborers is proof of the labor-friendly policy of the Punjab government.
“Over the past three years, $80 billion has been spent on specific initiatives to help workers and their children.”
To a question, Sajid Khan said that more than 34.14 billion dollars for quality healthcare was provided to the workers of Punjab Social Welfare Hospital.
In addition, he said, $3.12 billion in talent scholarships were paid out among workers’ children, and $2.55 billion in marriage allowances given to workers’ children, in addition to $2.74 billion in death grants.
Residential colonies have been set up at a cost of $12 billion for workers in several cities in Punjab, including Sargodha.
The ban on child labor in Punjab under the Brick Kilns Act is also an achievement of the Punjab government.
To a question, he said that child labor will be removed from petrol pumps, factories and hotels, and more attention to education and training of children will lead to the development of the nation.
