The International Day against Child Labour was observed in Sialkot and Gujranwala districts like other parts of the country on Tuesday. On this occasion a special programme was organised by Child and Social Development Organisation (CSDO) to celebrate World Day Against Child Labour and to raise awareness among the community and children about the domestic labour and the hazardous of child labour, and to highlight the importance of education.
Children belonging to CSDO schools participated in various competitions like hamd sharif, naat, mili nagma, dramas, tableaus, speeches on the theme of child labour and importance of education. Child and Social Development Organisation (CSDO) Sialkot is running seventeen schools in the backward and slum areas of Sialkot and its adjacent districts Gujranwala and Narowal and as many as 1,700 underprivileged, deserving and out-of-school children are getting matric-level education in these schools.
It may be mentioned that PEF is providing financial assistance of Rs 350 per child per month on account of fee to provide education to the marginalised children. The Punjab Education Foundation under its education voucher scheme, SCCI and the business community of Sialkot are supporting CSDO to run these schools. These schools were established under Child and Adolescents Protection Project funded by UNICEF from May 2009 to 31st March 2012.