Child Labourers In Pakistan

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International Labour Organisation (ILO)'s National Project Manager in Pakistan, Saba Mohsin Raza has said that the country was experiencing "worst forms of child labour" with over 3.3 million child workers.

She said that out of the four provinces, Punjab had the highest ratio of child labour, mainly due to "lack of education and health facilities". She also said that the menace was affecting the country's image worldwide and that urgent steps should be taken to tackle it.

"This grave situation is ruining not only the health of child workers but also their future in addition to eclipsing the country's image in the outer world. This social menace demands of all stakeholders to take more practical initiatives so that the situation could effectively be rectified and in this respect the role that the media can play is worth mentioning," The Nation quoted Saba as saying at a lecture on child labour organized in collaboration with the ILO.

The lecture was part of the ILO's ongoing national media plan of action to sensitise the media persons about the child labour issues in the country and giving basic training to Mass Communication students before entering into their practical field.

She termed these growing statistics 'a point of serious concern' for all the stakeholders and said, "It is our collective responsibility to come up with practical steps to control this menace." She urged the students to know the requirement and seriousness of their profession regarding the sensitivity of different social issues in the country and advised them to adopt a positive approach in their professional life.