Wealth of human resource

These are frightening figures The estimated child abuse in Pakistan is more than 12 per day, in which out of total reported cases of child abuse 2,325 victims were girls (55%) and 1,928 (45%) boys. In Sindh, the highest (483) number of cases of child abuse were reported, the second highest number of cases (233) were reported in Punjab.

How these children end up in the hands of exploiters is mostly due to poverty and inflation which is a big factor in people sending their children to work, or even selling them to people who use them as labour and they are not protected by any laws at the workplace.

A major obstacle is that child abuse has become so common in Pakistan and generally accepted that those who otherwise are advocating human rights also turn a blind eye to this even though they see it happen in many walks of life from domestic servants to underage workers in workshops and other commercial concerns.

Many child abuse cases occur at the workplace whether it is at the domestic level or at outdoor work stations where young boys are employed. Child abuse in the form of child labour is so brazen and open that it is now accepted by society at large.

The most common form are these young kids who should be in school but they are working at petrol stations and auto mechanic shops. Most of us casually get down from our cars and call out to these youngsters to come, have a look at your tires or whatever part requires attention and do the needful.

Do we ever wonder how against all laws governing child labour these kids are openly working in clear defiance of child labor restrictions? The fact that underage children are working at these places is taken for granted and even justified by arguments such as the essential supplementing of house incomes by the efforts of these young kids.

Society it seems has turned a blind eye to the laws in vogue and somehow abdicated its responsibility by condemning these young people to a life of hard labour and no education which they believe these kids do not deserve.

The plight of domestic servants, mostly young girls, is more or less the same. I sometimes wonder what must be going through the minds of young girls employed as domestic servants who are preparing the young kids of their masters for school.

The clean attractive school uniforms, lunch boxes with delicacies and hugs and kisses from parents as they rush out to waiting cars to be driven to their schools. Sometimes they must be wondering how is life behind the four walls of the school building and why they will never be a part of it.

For them their dreams will never materialize as they are doomed to their role for life and soon in an early age they might be married off and even their dreams shattered as in an early age they will be bringing up kids and serving their life partners.

It is said that human resource is the greatest asset of a nation. We are overflowing with it. We are a young country where the median age is 20.6 years. Our population is equivalent to 2.99% of the total world population.

Now this is a great opportunity if we make good use of our human resources and give them the right training and opportunities in the right field and avoid child labour, which is defined as the exploitation of children through any form of work that interferes with their ability to attend regular school, or is mentally, physically, socially and morally harmful.

As far as their inability to attend school is concerned, it is limited by the resources of their parents so there must be a scheme not only to educate these children without putting their parents under any financial burden but also provide some support for the family so these young children are not forced to earn money that would put food on the table for the family.

A comprehensive scheme is required and put into action to groom and direct this huge human wealth which lies at our disposal. Not only will it propel the country to development and progress but also give to these young people the right to a decent life and fulfill dreams they have been harvesting while forced to menial jobs and exploitation in many fields. These young men and women are the future of our country. Let us safeguard and nurture them for their benefit and the benefit of our country.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024