Pakistan is experiencing worst form of child labour with over 3.3 million child workers, which is a point of major concern for all the stakeholders. However, this grave situation demands more serious practical initiatives from all stakeholders, including media, so that this social menace is controlled effectively.
These remarks were expressed by National Project Manager of ILO-IPEC Saba Mohsin Raza, during a session with senior columnists and editors, which was the joint collaboration of International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The session was part of the ILO's plan of action to sensitise through media the issue of child labour for creating general awareness on the issue. She said that around 264 million were child labourers in the world with 127.3 million child labourers (5-14 year) in Asia-Pacific region.
"Pakistan have about 40 million children, out of which 3.3 million are labourers (5-14 years), including 2.4 million boys (10-14 years) and 0.9 million girls (5-9 years)," she said. However, she explained that the ILO, with strong cooperation of the government of Pakistan, was vigorously taking effective multiple initiatives for controlling the child labour from the society.
The government was working extremely hard under the ILO Convention 182 that Pakistan ratified in 2001 and also under the ILO Convention 136 on the minimum age in 2006, she added. However, she called for a coherent social action to provide our future generations with a bright future.
About the ILO's progress in controlling the child labour in Pakistan, she explained that with these initiatives, the ILO had so far rehabilitated around 72,000 families throughout the country. Saba Mohsin Raza sought the strong cooperation on the part of the national media as it had the potential to develop a positive public opinion on social issues, particularly child labour.
"Children are our asset and all of us should come forward to protect this asset," she remarked, and added that all those having resources should bear the education expense of at least one child worker, as it would ultimately lead to a literate and strong nation in the world.
About the ethics of media reporting about child labour, she said: "Media should not release information of the victim of child abuse and protect him/her against all the evil influences that may exist in our society at any time." She encouraged a closer interaction between the government and the civil society so that child issues were highlighted properly through media.
On the occasion, participants of the session raised a number of questions about the commitment of the government and the ILO for the eradication of child labour from the country. They also highlighted the ground situation of this social menace and economic aspects behind this social curse gaining roots.
However, realising the media's role in opinion making, they raised their commitment to continue making efforts on their part in highlighting the negative impacts of this social menace on the child victims' health and future.-PR