Socio-economic and political determinants of child labor at brick kilns: A case study of district Jhang

Abstract

IntroductionBackground of labor and Global over viewChild labor is the exploitation of the children energies and potential at work rather than giving proper opportunity to study. The term labor is a relative term and different cultures and societies define it differently (Dessy, Sylvain and Stephane, 2001). labor is the employment of children when they are too young to work on wages or when they are employed for jobs unsuitable or unsafe (Grand, 1983). Similarly (Folk, 1987) define labor as child labor is any work by children that interferes with their full physical development, their opportunities for a desirable education or their needed recreation.Child labor is affecting the course of development for the entire world and is a major problem faced by the global community now (Hirway et al. 1991). The international labour organization estimates that there are around 250 million children working all over the world. At least 120 million children aged between 5 and 14 are working full time. One third of them are performing dangerous work (ILO/IPEC 1998). According to ILO estimate more than 73 million children in age group 10-14 years alone were economically active around the world in (Dessy and Pallage, 2003). However, global community has acknowledged that there is dire need to cater this problem and has established different organizations and treaties in this regard:1. The international labor organization (ILO) minimum age convention, 1973 (No.138):2. The ILO Forced Labor Convention 1930 (No.29):3. The United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989:4. The World Declaration on Education for All, 1990.Child Labor in Pakistan and its DeterminantsChild labor is a global problem but it is affecting the developing countries to a greater extant and same is the case with Pakistan. Child labor hinders the way of progress of the country and it is a problem that has stigmatized the Pakistan (Kousar et al., 2005). Pakistan is building up a gigantic collection of illiterates. According to the survey there are over 32 million adult illiterates plus over 7 million children aged 5.51 who do not attend schools. The dropout rate is 45% which translates into another 7 million leaving whatever from schooling (Shah, 1997). The gross primary enrollment is only 30% among females while for males it is 57% (Cigno, Rosati and Guarcello, 2002). Similarly secondary gross enrollment is 23% for females and 46% for males. The ratio of illiteracy among 15 years old is 86% for females and 59% for males (Pakistan and Gulf Economist 1999).According to the labor survey of 1996, conducted by the Federal Bureau of Statistics with the assistance of ministry of labor and ILO/IPEL, Pakistan, out of total children population of nearly 40 million, 3.6 million or 8.25% children are engaged in labor. The biggest employers of children in the country are agriculture, brick kilns, small industries, carpet wearies, domestic service and urban informal sector. A sizeable number are self-employed doing menial jobs like vending, scavenging, shoe shining, car cleaning (Khan, 2001).There are different socio-economic factors which are responsible for its spreading and prevalence. These factors include poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, lack of family planning, dis-satisfaction from education system, absence of social security and many others (Rogers and Swinnerton, 2002). It is the sole responsibility of the government to provide rights to children and protect them from all sort of exploitation. A plays an important role in the future of mankind. The protection of a from physical and social hazards is a pre- requisite for the proper growth of children in order to make sure the future progress and prosperity of human beings (Sawada, Yasuyuki, and Lokshin, 2000). Working children are more susceptible to infectious diseases, and suffer from malnutrition, anemia and inadequate sleep (Fassa et al. …