Minimum age: Pakistan praised for ratifying Convention 138

Chairman of the Workers Group in the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Sir LeeRoy Trotman has lauded Pakistan for ratifying Convention 138 relating to minimum age, becoming the second country in South Asia to have ratified all ILO's 8 Core Convention.
He gave these remarks during the debate on the Global Report on Child Labour issued under the follow-up to the ILO's Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at work this morning during the 95th Session of the International Labour Conference in Geneva.
Only a handful of countries in Asia have ratified the Convention. This is the second report on child labour which estimates that global figures for child labour, especially its worst forms, have fallen significantly since 2000 due to increase in political will and awareness and concrete action, particularly in the field of poverty reduction and mass education.
Trotman urged governments of India, USA and Australia for the early ratification of all ILO's fundamental Conventions relating to children. He rejected the assertion of some countries that they would only do so once their law and practice has been brought in conformity with ILO standards.
He exhorted the countries to first ratify these conventions and then work towards bringing their domestic legislation in line. Earlier, Ahsan Akhtar Malik, Joint Secretary Labour while presenting Pakistan's national statement on the Global Report informed the meeting of measures taken by Pakistan in implementing its obligations under Convention 182 relating to worst forms of child labour.
He appreciated the fact that the Global Report had identified Sialkot Soccer Ball Industry as a significant success where child labour had been completely eliminated from 7000 child workers in 1996.
The District Government of Sialkot, which spends 70 percent of its budget on education, had passed a resolution declaring itself a Child Labour Free Zone.
These measures would be replicated in other parts of the country, he said.
He also underlined strong linkages between free and compulsory education with child labour and urged the need to formulate and implement effective policies both at national and international levels to eliminate this social curse.
Ashraf Wali Tabbani, former governor Sindh and President, Employers' Federation of Pakistan commented on the report on behalf of the Employers Group. While appreciating the decline in child labour globally, he urged the need to focus on worst forms of child labour in the agriculture and mining sectors.