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Preface
Child labor is an evil in any society and should be eliminated is
the common international consensus on child labor. The Friedrich-
NaumannStiftung (FNSt) holds that child labor negates the
Foundation's principles of".. freedom inhuman dignity in all
sectors of society-" as stated in its Political Principles. In addition,
FNSt also holds that child labor deprives children of their
unalienable right to education, health and a carefree childhood. A
generation of child workers will seriously affect the level of human
resources development that we will be able to achieve in the
future. It is with these principles in mind that FNSt has worked in
partnership with SPARC (Society for the Protection of the Rights
of the Child) on a Survey on child labor.
The Survey was done in view of generating a report that would
give evidence of the state and causes of child labor and offer
recommendations to combat it. The scope of the Survey was
limited to Islamabad in order to make the Survey manageable.
For substantive analysis, a sample of 400 child workers was
chosen as the sample size which would allow representative
information on child labor in Islamabad.
This Survey was undertaken to add momentum to the current
national and international concern and awareness against child
labor. For example, due to Pakistan's ratification of the UN
Convention on the Rights of the Child in November 1 990,
Pakistan is internationally bound to uphold the laws of this
Convention. In view of this, a National Committee on the Rights
of the Child has been set up as well as a National Commission for
Child Welfare and Development '(NCCWD). Setting up of NCCWD
by the government could be auspicious as it aims to network with
NGOs and related agencies in developing a system for monitoring
child right violations. Thus, the NGO sector which has been
involved in research, awareness raising activities and planning of
implementation strategies in the area of child labor and child
rights will be able to give input in policy decisions. It is hoped that
in the future the relationship between NOOs and government
sectors can be further strengthened through a sharing of failures
and successes as well as an equal status of both parties at
decision making levels.
The Survey comes at a time when there is growing international
business concern which can affect the sports industry at the
carpet manufacturers in Pakistan. In addition, child labor is
discussed on a regional basis by all the South Asian countries at
forums such as SAARC conferences. In the recent past, SAARC
has targeted the girl child as the most vulnerable section of child
labor.
It is hoped that the Survey findings and recommendations can be
utilized by the government authorities, NGOs and concerned
individuals to work towards phasing out child labor.
Dr. Rene' Kloff Resident Representative Friedrich-Naumann-
Stiftung Islamabad April 1997
Owner: Sarah Javed & Zarina Jillani