Karachi : In ten years, from 2013 to 2023, 3727, in Sindh, children together with their adult family members were released from the custody of landlords in the agriculture sector said the statement issued by the Hari Welfare Association in the context of World Day against Child Labour. These children constitute 34 percent of the total bonded labourers released in the agriculture sector. The data is gathered by HWA. Most children were released in 2013 (651), 2019 (606) and 2020 (915).
In a statement Akram Khaskheli, President Hari Welfare Association (HWA) said that in 2022, the total number of released children in the agriculture sector was 198, which is the lowest reported data as compared to the previous years. The prime cause of the lowest reporting of bonded labour cases is the media’s attention to rain and flood stories starting from August 2022. Most (73) children in 2022 were released from the Umerkot district.
In the brick kiln sector in Sindh, of the total reported cases of released bonded labourers in 2022, 93 were children.
Khaskheli further said that Sindh had about 1.7 million bonded labourers in Sindh; of these, over 700,000 children were bonded labourers working under indecent and inhuman working and living conditions imposed by their landlords in the agriculture sector. It further added that Sindh has 6.4 million out-of-school children- most of them are engaged in child labour.
He added that out of the 29, the District Vigilance Committees are formed in 19 districts. However, these DVCs were not reported to be involved in the release and rehabilitation of the bonded labourers released through court orders. This raises concerns about the effectiveness and role of the DVCs in addressing the issue of bonded labour.
In all of the instances, the police raided the landowners’ and brick kilns’ properties and brought peasants and brick kiln workers’ family members before the courts. The police did not arrest the landlords in any of the incidents and no charges were filed against them under the Sindh Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act 2015. It shows a lack of enforcement and accountability for the landlords involved in the exploitation of peasants.
HWA claimed that child labour increased after the floods in August 2022. But the government of Sindh’s Sindh Resettlement and Rehabilitation Policy (2022) falls short of adequately addressing the needs and rights of children in rural areas especially those engaged in agricultural activities in indecent working conditions.
The statement also said that Sindh has introduced better laws to minimize child labour and reduce the number of out-of-school children. However, it is worst at implementing the same. There are several laws in the province, but all are in vain. These laws include the Sindh Tenancy Act of 1950, the Sindh Child Protection Authority Act of 2011, the Sindh Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act of 2013, the Sindh Bonded Labour System Abolition Act of 2015, and the Sindh Prohibition of Employment of Children Act of 2017. These laws offer great protection to children, but the implementation of the law has been a distant dream as children are engaged in the worst forms of child labour.
Khaskheli said that the Sindh Child Protection Authority, responsible for safeguarding the rights and welfare of children, has regrettably failed to protect them from the worst forms of child labour rampant in factories and mechanic shops across the province.
He added that Child labour not only violates international conventions and domestic legislation but also undermines the socio-economic progress of the region. It is the responsibility of the Sindh Child Protect authority to actively address this issue, protect the rights of vulnerable children, and collaborate with relevant stakeholders to eradicate the worst forms of child labour in Sindh.
HWA asserted that Sindh should implement the laws and address the issue of bonded labour in the agriculture, brick kiln and other sectors of the economy. For this, the GoS needs strong will and commitment.
