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This series of remarkable essays was researched and written by students of Sultan Mohamed Shah Aga Khan School, Karachi, Pakistan in January 2000. Click on the title in this list to go to each essay:
| Dilemma of the Innocents | The Story Of Ali |
|
Why Are They Different? | How much of Child Labour? | Golden Gift | Childhood Memories? |
|
Child Labour-What is being done? | Child Labour | Camel Boys | Child Labour In Pakistan |
|
Child Labour | Child Labour: A Curse For Any Nation | Child Labour and Islam | Broken Soul |
This article is not meant to entertain. It is about those children who
live on the streets. Those children who give up their innocence for a
scrap of bread. Street children are ignored because we pass them by and
forget we ever saw their plight. A fleeting moment of plight and then
it's all over. Do you know the name of the child picking garbage and
loitering around Hassan Square in Gulshan-e- Iqbal? When the traffic
pauses as the light switched to red they ran towards cars and try to
sell their ware, newspaper, magazines, small towels, US visa lottery
forms and flowers. Our callous minds don't pause to think why these
children are not in school.
The international labour organisation claims the urban informal sector
is the largest employer of child labour. Working children contribute
Rs.1500 per
month as average income to their families.
Reasons include poverty and lack of education. Both these factors
depend directly on myopic government policies and demand management
techniques. In a report by Dr.Mehboob-ul-Haq entitled
Human Development In South Asia 1997, he writes: Far more crippling than
income poverty is the poverty of basic human capabilities, which
prevents people from taking advantage of market opportunities. Compared
to the capability poverty, there are only 34 million income poor people
in Pakistan.
The Employment of Children Act 1991 prohibits the employment of
children in certain occupations and regulates the condition of work for
children. Although the Act protects against economic exploitation of
children it does not clearly whether this includes children who works on
the streets. It also lacks a proper definition as to who is a child: Is
a child supposedly below 14 years of age, or above 15 or 18? Pakistan
signed the
UN Convention for the rights of the child in 1991 which says that "No
child must be arrested for a crime", but in Pakistan this is never
implemented. Children as young as four, toil on streets because their
parents do not have well-paying jobs and their income must be
supplemented. Many are unemployed or addicted to drugs making them
incapable of any work. Pakistan has tried to take the rapid GDP growth
development approach, not realising that social development must move in
tandem with GDP growth.
The 12 million children in the labour force will grow up to be
physically, socially, morally and intellectually under developed
and remain deprived individuals.
It was viewed with a mixture of indifference, apathy and even cynicism
this was in part due to ignorance; and that child labour was accepted as
a
natural phenomenon. Parents believe that the only option left for them
to
combat poverty is to permit their children to assume the role of the
Bread-winner. Their hair is a nameless gray brown, eyes pale and empty
nails black with grime, dirty bare feet, tended faces for skinny bodies.
They barter their carefree days to buy food for the family. A five year
old
child sells plastics combs near the Bahadurabad traffic signal. Weary as
he is, one wonders how this tiny child even crosses the road he has a
widowed mother and a younger sister to support. He has to come out on
to the streets to earn a living for the family although he has an elder
sister.
Many of these street children have large families, ranging from 4 to 8
siblings. They have a feeling of being unwanted. The only way for them
to
survive is to accept what comes their way including the injustice and
rejection. Many children on the streets dislike beggary. Although their
brazen selling some times borders on shoving thing down one's throat.
Almost all have a sense of responsibility and a strong desire to share
the
financial burden.
An 18 year old says he has being selling flowers for
the
past five years but is now tired of working on the street "the people I
try
to sell flowers say muaff karo as if I am begging for alms. I don't beg.
I have despised begging all my life but this with remark; I am reduced
to
that despicable status. When I was a kid it didn't hurt that much but
now
it does. I am so fed up with this humiliation that I am willing to kill
someone but not sell flowers."
There is no happily after to this story because it was not a fairy tale
to begin With. These children are not living but just surviving. Their
nameless and faceless existence will always surround us. It is about
these children that the Nobel
laureate poet from Chile, Gabriel Mistral has said:
We are guilty of many errors and many faults,
But our worst crime is abandoning the children,
Neglecting the fountain of life.
Many of things we need can wait,
The child cannot wait.
Right now is the time his bones are being formed,
His blood is being made,
And his senses are being developed.
To him we cannot answer "Tomorrow",
His name is "Today"
Salma Mansoor
Bushra Raza
Sadia Meer
Grade 8
Age 12
Sultan Mohamed Shah Aga Khan School-Karachi
Pakistan
In a certain village in Pakistan, a door of a house opened, a shadow
came outside, a little boy aged twelve years, with tears in his eyes saw
his house for the last time and came out of the lane. Sometime before
his stepfather has slapped him and he tried to forget he pain and
humiliation of that slap.
At the end of the dirt lane he sat on a donkey cart and requested the
owner of the cart towards the railway station. Before leaving the house
he had stolen some money from his mothers purse. He is now on his own
does not know where he is going!!
14 years old Shoib, comes from a big city his family is very poor and
there were many mouths to feed. He is always being pushed by his mother
to go find out work and bring some money home. One day in an angry and
frustrated mood he is turned out from his own house by the third wife of
his father ……….
One…. Two…..three the number of these street children never ends with
sad stories behind each one. This continues all the time in this
country. On every railway station one can see a handful of children who
are forced to run from their houses. Their scared faces tell the story.
Children are the gifts from God. Just think what we are doing to them.
Have anyone ever though what may happen to them. Some heartless people
smuggle them to other countries and cut them down for their body part to
earn money…….!!!!
Maria Mirza
12 years
Grade-7
Teacher: Adila Salman
Sultan Mohamed Shah Aga Khan School-Karachi
Pakistan
Every day early in the morning when we are heading for our schools. We
see many children around the bus stops jumping and singing towards their
schools. They have had delicious breakfast, wearing clean uniforms have
a bag full of colourful books.
Just close to the bus stop is some
garbage dumping points where one can see many young and innocent
children but dirt on faces clad in torn clothes with a big dirty bag on
their back picking pieces of paper and putting in their bags to sell for
some money so they an feed themselves and their families.
Both these groups of children are innocent entitled to play eat, study
and enjoy they live in same city and country but why they are different?
Amber Abdullah
Age 12+
Grade- 7
Sultan Mohamed Shah Aga Khan School-Karachi
Pakistan
The proportion of child labour has taken up a situation of an epidemic in
Pakistan. Statistics are unreliable but the Human Rights Commission of
Pakistan (HRCP) has estimated last year the number of Pakistani
working children to be realistically in the range of 11-12 million. At
least half of these children are under the age of ten. Despite a recent
series of laws prohibiting child labour children make up a quarter of
the unskilled work force of Pakistan and can be found in virtually every
factory and workshop or field.
Zohra Barkat
12 years
Grade: 7
Sultan Mohamed Shah Aga Khan School-Karachi
Pakistan
Golden Gift
Children are the "Golden Gift' of God
Don't misuse them
They have a charming personality
They have lots of ability
Don't spoil it.
They are the rose of the garden,
the future of our country
Do not crush them.
Do not appreciate when a child labours
do not make them cry and work for long hours.
This is their age of studying, playing and running after butterflies
we should care for their bright future.
They are the symbol of success for tomorrow's Pakistan.
Kismat S and Hina Tajuddin
Ages 12 years
Grade- 7
Sultan Mohamed Shah Aga Khan School-Karachi
Pakistan
I do not remember early days of my childhood. But I still remember my
Fifth birthday. My parents celebrated it and many relatives and friends
were invited. I also got many gifts.
When I was six years old I was sent to a school. I remember on that day
sweets were distributed to students of my class. I see many children
around me who are poor, walking on the street, working in auto repair
shops and teastalls. I think do they ever went to a school? Once I
asked some they have never been to schools but think about being in one.
What will they remember when they grow up? Have they ever celebrated
their birthdays, do they share the joys of learning with parents,
teachers and friends.
Ages 12 years
Grade- 7
Sultan Mohamed Shah Aga Khan School-Karachi
Pakistan
Every child has a right to study but most of the children have
responsibility of their poor families. It is our responsibility to stop
this child labour and should create some centres which could provide
free education, clothing and food. The government is establishing a
pilot programme of 18 rehabilitation centres for "Former Child Labour".
Each centre educates 60-110 children and also providing money to their
families by donation and funds.
Now let us all promise to help these children and put a stop to child
labour in Pakistan so tomorrow each Pakistani child enjoys school and a
carefree life.
Dania Siddiqui
age 12 years
Grade: 7
Sultan Mohamed Shah Aga Khan School-Karachi
Pakistan
Child labour is a major problem of our country. UN Convention detail
about child labour, it has clearly said that the children under 18 years
of age are not allowed to work, it is government responsibility to
provide them education and basic needs.
As other developed countries child labour in Pakistan can not be
finished so easily because the government is unable to provide the
basic facilities and eduction therefore these children are forced to
work otherwise they will die with hunger.
Pakistan with the help of ILO and UNICEFF have made convention on the
rights of children and made rules for some sectors where children are
working to provide them hazard free work environment, educational,
health and recreational facilities so they do not miss the simple
pleasure of childhood.
On a personal level one of us who employ domestic workers should create
opportunities of education and basic needs for kids. We must give them
extra books, clothes and toys other then their wages.
If we want to stop chid labour completely we must provide jobs to their
parents or a source of income. If children are not given job neither
their parents then these children would end up as beggars, thieves or
gun runners.
Government should take serious actions for solving this problem which is
difficult but not impossible.
Faiza Ashraf
age 12 years
Grade; 7
Sultan Mohamed Shah Aga Khan School-Karachi
Pakistan
In 1992 the Human Rights Commission researched and found that many
Pakistani boys between the ages of 4-10 are sold to the sports-loving
Shaikhs of Gulf countries to be used as jockeys or camel boys in camel
races. The HRCP found that:
*It was a thriving business
*That mostly parents themselves sold their children out of their
poverty.
*Influential personalities of Makran (a region of Pakistan) were
involved in the traffic. One estimate put the average yearly flow of
children is over 6000.
Samrah, Fatima, Sumaiyya, Maria, Zara, Hafsa
Ages 12+
Grade- 7
Sultan Mohamed Shah Aga Khan School-Karachi
Pakistan
Child Labour is great problem of our country which is yet not solved
properly. Although government had made some rules and regulations but
failed to stop it completely. In our country children help their parents
to earn money in many ways. Some children work in factories, some polish
shoes work in fields. Government of Pakistan has not taken a strict
action against this yet. It is not possible to put a ban at child labour
instantly because many family members of these children are dependent on
their earnings.
But something must be thought and planned for these child labours before
we rob their entire childhood joys.
Nazish Anwer
Age 12+
Grade: 7
Sultan Mohamed Shah Aga Khan School-Karachi
Pakistan
Children is one of the worst problems of the underdeveloped countries.
According to UNICEFF all children under 12 years have right to take
education, play and are not to work for their livelihood. But in
underdeveloped countries where poverty is a major problem parents of
poor children do not afford the expense of their children's' education
and expect them to work for supporting the family income.
In Pakistan government has taken some major steps to end child labour.
They have received funds from UNICEFF to open new schools in poor areas
of the country, provide children with books and uniforms.
Government has also banned child labour by law. Inspectors have been
appointed to check and give reports on child labours. These steps are
expected to increase the rate of educated people and reduce the number
of children forced to work out of poverty.
Mehvish Iqbal
Age 12
Grade: 7
Sultan Mohamed Shah Aga Khan School-Karachi
Pakistan
Children are gifts of god and beauty of our earth however the problem of
children working as labours is a big problem of most of the
underdeveloped countries. Children in Pakistani cities work in carpet
weaving industries, auto workshops as mechanics, factories worse of all
they are hired as domestic servants. As domestic servants they suffer a
lot even physical abuse including beating and humiliations.
The Pakistani Government has so far failed to remove this curse from our
nation. International and National agencies have raised hue and cry for
children's' rights but failed to stop completely. Pakistan economic
condition is a great hurdle in stopping child labour completely.
Most of these children worker are unable to continue their studies or
have any kind of fun in their lives. We need to at least create
opportunities for these children so they get basic education and are
treated with respect and love when hired as domestic support. If each
well off family in Pakistan takes responsibility of one child we can save
the childhood and future of many children.
Feroza A Rahim
Age 12
Grade: 7
Sultan Mohamed Shah Aga Khan School-Karachi
Pakistan
Labour means work, for which we get some return. Sometimes it is in the
form of wages.
We are Muslims so we must find out what Quran (the holy book) guides us
about work. In many places in the Holy Quran there are orders about
working. And it is also mentioned by Holy Prophet Mohamed Mustufa
clearly that:
" The man who does hard work is the friend of God"
But Holy Quran never guides that a child should labour and provide food
to his/her parents, brothers or sisters.
Quran says that Muslims should help orphans, homeless and poor children
from their own money and properties till their age of working.
1400 years ago it was planned by all Muslims under the guidance of Holy
Prophet that there should be charity funds for orphans, widows, poor
and needy children so that these children may not be forced to work.
That was a law and also a duty by virtue of being a member of Islamic
community and a member of Islamic State.
In the era of Caliph Hazrat Umer charity funds were distributed openly
to very needy child.
"It is also one of the rights given to the children by United Nations,
which is as under " The state's obligation is to protect children from
engaging in work that constitutes a threat to their health, education
or development………"
Islam has given us a concept of a welfare state but the deteriorating
social and economic conditions in Pakistan is a great barrier in saving
the future of the child labourers.
Hina Ahmed
Age 13 years
Grade: 8
Sultan Mohamed Shah Aga Khan School-Karachi
Pakistan
Unfortunate child forced to labour,
He cannot become a reader or a leader.
Working would be the aim of his life,
and his emotions would be slashed by a knife.
Education is a never fulfilling wish of his life,
and fun is just a dream.
Disappointment is his future
his innocent heart and soul is broken forever.
Ambreen Badruddin
13 years
Grade: 8
SULTAN MOHAMED SHAH AGA KHAN SCHOOL-KARACHI
PAKISTAN
31st December 1999
Inspired by the work of the Sultan Mohamed Shah Aga Khan School students, Ghada, a student at Bshamoun School, Lebanon, interviewed a laboring child. Read the interview.
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