Compiled for the DTW – New Delhi Office by Tehmina Abbas in May 2013 CEARC’s Concluding Observations to the State parties‘ submissions on the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) ARTICLE 1: NATIONAL POLICY DESIGNED TO ENSURE THE EFFECTIVE ABOLITION OF CHILD LABOUR Direct Requests & Observations and relevant responses in State reports for: Pakistan and Sri Lanka PAKISTAN Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2011, published 101st ILC session (2012) C138 - Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) – Pakistan The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It must therefore repeat its previous observation. [Please refer to Observation (CEACR) adopted 2010, published 100th ILC session (2011) below] Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2010, published 100th ILC session (2011) C138 - Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) – Pakistan Article 1 of the Convention. National policy designed to ensure the effective abolition of child labour. The Committee previously noted that a national Time-bound Programme (TBP) for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour 2008–16 had been drafted in consultation with the stakeholders. It also noted the implementation of several ILO–IPEC projects, including projects entitled “Activating media to combat worst forms of child labour 2006–09” and “Pakistan earthquake – Child labour response”, in addition to the expansion of the national project for the rehabilitation of child labourers. It requested the Government to provide information on the impact of these projects. The Committee notes the information in the Government’s report that the ILO–IPEC project entitled “Combating abusive child labour II” has been launched. The objective of this project is the elimination of child labour, and two districts have been selected to pilot the project. The main activities of the project include: (i) establishing the Federal Child Labour Unit, and Provincial Child Labour Units, to increase institutional capacity to monitor the implementation of the national child labour programme; (ii) th e creation of provincial and district coordination committees on child labour; (iii) withdrawing and rehabilitating child labourers in the districts of implementation; and (iv) sensitizing the community to child labour issues. The Committee also notes the ILO–IPEC information that the project “Activating media to combat worst forms of child labour” has been extended until the end of 2010. The Committee further notes the information from the ILO–IPEC Technical Progress Report (TPR) of 10 March 2010 for the project entitled “Pakistan earthquake: Child labour response project” that 3,626 children were enrolled in rehabilitation centres through the project, and 632 children received vocational training. This TPR also indicates that between September 2009 and March 2010, ten seminars on child labour were conducted in target union councils. Participants included workers, employers and target community members (particularly the family members of working children). Over 700 individuals participated in these seminars organized in 24 rehabilitation centres of seven union councils (Kaghan, Mohandri, Kewai, Balakot, Ghanool, Shohal Mazullah and Garhi Habib Ullah). The TPR indicates that the project has contributed substantially to sensitizing the local communities on child labour issues. The Committee takes due note of this information, and requests the Government to continue to provide information on the concrete measures taken pursuant to the “Combating abusive child labour II” project, the “Activating media to combat worst forms of child labour” project and the “Pakistan earthquake – Child labour response” project. It also requests the Government to provide information on the status of the implementation of the national TBP 2008–16. Finally, it requests the Government to provide information on the impact of these initiatives, including the number of children reached through these programmes. Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2009, published 99th ILC session (2010) C138 - Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) - Pakistan The Committee notes the Government’s first report. It draws the Government’s attention to the following points. Article 1 of the Convention. National policy designed to ensure the effective abolition of child labour. The Committee notes that in 1994, the Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the ILO– IPEC aimed at the elimination of child labour and its worst forms. Under the MOU, about 50 action programmes were initiated targeting mainly the soccer ball industry (Sailkot), the carpet manufacturing industry (Gujranwala, Lahore), street children (Peshawar) and the surgical instruments industries (Sialkot). The Committee notes that approximately 25,000 children benefited from the above action programmes. It notes that in 2003, the ILO–IPEC launched a four-year project to support the National Time-bound Programme (TBP) on the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour. The project initiated ten action programmes to combat child labour in six hazardous sectors, such as the glass-bangle industry, surgical instruments manufacturing industry, tanneries, coalmining, scavenging/rag-picking and deep-sea fishing industry. Under these projects, a total of 11,800 children were provided with vocational training and health care. It also notes the following ILO – IPEC projects on child labour in the country: – Two-year projects entitled, “Activating media to combat worst forms of child labour 2006–09”, and “Media products on child labour for radio 2007” were initiated to raise public awareness and motivate the general masses to take affirmative action against child labour. – National project on the rehabilitation of child labour was expanded. The number of rehabilitation centres for child labourers were increased from 83 in 2004 to 151 in 2007. These centres provided free education, vocational training, clothing, footwear and stipend to former child workers between five and 14 years of age. At present 15,045 students are benefiting from primary education in these centres and 4,467 are admitted to government schools for further education. – Combating Child Labour through Education and Training in the North West Frontier Province, Phase III (2009–11) which aims at strengthening the child labour unit in the Ministry of Labour, and developing a child labour monitoring and referral system. – Child domestic work project: basic enabling education programme (non-formal) was implemented from 2005 to 2006, targeting 1,000 child domestic workers to be withdrawn and placed in a 12-month basic education enabling programme; – “Elimination of worst forms of child labour from the glass-bangle industry in Hyderabad district (2005– 08)” and “Elimination of worst forms of child labour from tannery industries in Kasur district (2005)” was implemented to address the issue of child labour in these sectors. – “Combating hazardous child labour in the TBP-selected sectors through the promotion of occupational safety and health awareness” was implemented from 2007 to 2008 to promote actions to prevent, reduce, remove and avoid safety and health hazards and risks and the harmful effects of work on children. Some three hundred children in the glass-bangle industry were provided with vocational training, and 4,750 children received health care while 50 children in the tanneries were provided with vocational training and 250 received health care. – The ILO–IPEC earthquake project entitled “Pakistan earthquake – Child labour response” was implemented in 2006 for a period of three years which at the national level, aimed at mainstreaming child labour issues into the Government’s recovery and reconstruction policy and programmes, while at the district and community levels the key strategies were capacity building and direct action. The project targeted a total of 2,500 children engaged in child labour prior to the project, children who continued in child labour post earthquake and children at risk of being engaged in child labour. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that a National Time-bound Programme (TBP) for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour 2008–2016 has been drafted in consultation with the stakeholders. It further notes the Government’s information that a National Policy and Plan of Action to Combat Child Labour has been launched in 2000 which provides for: progressive elimination of child labour from all economic sectors; immediate withdrawal of children from the worst forms of child labour; preventing entry of under-aged children into the labour market through universalization of primary education and family empowerment; and rehabilitation of working children through non-formal education, pre-vocational training and skill development. The Committee notes, however, that in its direct request 2005, under Convention No. 182, the Committee had noted the information provided by the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) that no funds were allocated for the National Policy and Plan of Action to Combat Child Labour. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the impact of the abovementioned projects, including the number of children who were effectively prevented or withdrawn from child labour and its worst forms. It also requests the Government to indicate whether the necessary funds were allocated to the National Policy and Plan of Action to Combat Child Labour and to provide information on the concrete measures taken to eliminate child labour under this