264,000 kids engaged as child labour

There are 264,000 children engaged in child labour in the country and one in every sixth household in Islamabad has employed at least one child for domestic labour. Sources in Social Welfare Ministry said that 35 million people are living below poverty line and child- abour is increasing rapidly.
They said that patronage, tribal affiliation and feudalism complicate child labour issue and about 80 percent girls are doing this job that undermines Pakistan's target to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Child domestic labour refers to situations where children perform domestic tasks, not in their own homes but serving third party under exploitative conditions, they said.
They said that the ILO convention 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour (WFCL) declares domestic labour as one of the worst forms of child labour. They said that children are sold, contracted or trafficked as domestic servants to repay their families debt and many child domestic workers are victims of physical, psychological and sexual abuse.
They said that the government should undertake legislative reforms to set minimum standards for domestic workers of all ages, widening, the scope of existing labour legislation to include domestic work so that these workers get the same rights as other workers including minimum wage time off and working hours.
They suggested that the Punjab Child Protection and Welfare Bureau in Lahore should also be set up in other cities of Pakistan for creating a child-friendly atmosphere. They said that confidential toll-free helpline should be established to receive reports of worker's rights violations including child abuse and coping with trauma.
They recommended that effective mechanism must be put in place for inspection, enforcement and monitoring of child labour and prompt investigation must be initiated against child domestic labour complaints.
They said that poor and vulnerable families must be targeted for provision of easily accessible safety nets for poverty reduction through Baitul Maal and Zakat systems, access to quality-free education, health, nutrition and livelihoods.
The government must expand its non-formal and basic education and literacy programmes through education, social welfare and labour ministries to minimise child labour.