From the Chief Editor’s Desk :
ALLAH be praised ! The first edition of Employers’ Federation of Pakistan’s NEWSLETTER is in your hands. Another resolute contribution from the premier employer organization. The focus of this project will, of course, be on the volatile issue of Child Labor.
Pakistan has been on the receiving end of many Western countries’ accusations that Child Labor is not only prevalent but also being ruthlessly exploited by employers, parents, and government. The high profile propaganda unleashed in the Western media, the blatant accusations hurled at international fora, and the brazen call for boycotting the exportable products have put a heavy toll on the nation’s exports, on the country’s employment policies, and on the land’s networking with other government’s official and non-official organizations.
Child Labor is not an overnight phenomenon and is not something that is not present. Child Labor is a part and parcel of the ranks of domestic workforce. Child Labor is over 3.30 million strong, according to an official Government-ILO survey. Child Labor is not denied nor is there an imperative to push it under the proverbial carpet. Child Labor was, is, and if pragmatic measures ignored, will be there in the future.
Therefore, it is in the best interest of Pakistan, especially in this momentous year of the Golden Jubilee, that the issue is discussed threadbare and steps enumerated which the government, employers, NGOs, and workers are taking to eliminate this scourge. The primary fault lies with the government which did not counter-act the international accusations thus resulting in enabling this issue to gain monumental proportions. The employers too are at fault for turning a deaf ear to the protestations of human rights activists and also of certain legitimate NGOs. The workers paid lip service to the influx of children into their ranks. No wonder then, that the issue was blown up and went out of the control of Pakistan. The ensuing scenario was a defensive and a demoralizing posture.
The issue of Child Labor gained notoriety and intensification after the news of Child Labor "exploitation" in carpet industries was highlighted. Much was made of nimble fingers working the looms, in unsanitary and inhumane conditions, in an atmosphere of abusiveness, and in an environment where the pay was meager, where the workload was intensive, and where the health and safety standards were pipe dreams. There were reports galore of the harsh punishment meted out to young children whose output was below targets or who wanted to re-live their long lost "childhood". The general impression was that the children were in bondage because of the loans taken by their parents, under an exacting system known as "peshgee" (advance). The concept of education for these children was unheard of and no positive steps were taken to introduce universal education for these children.
What then did come out of the international outcry against the employment of Child Labor in the carpet industry ? The country suffered, exports went down, and the manufacturers scrambled to get their footing secured once again, this time from a submissive mode. The soccer manufactures were targeted in the next phase. Foreign television showed vivid clips of children working laboriously to produce the soccer ball that may be kicked into the goalpost by a footballer thus helping his team win the next World Cup. The carpet people managed to have some sort of spin control to avert a major crisis. The Sialkot sports goods manufacturers also signed a historical agreement in Atlanta, Georgia, USA to set up a monitoring system to eliminate Child Labor. Efforts are being made to provide alternate sources of revenue and also welfare facilities to those families whose progeny are inducted as Child Labor.
The Employers’ Federation of Pakistan is consciously aware of the connotations of the issue of Child Labor especially in regard to the effects of globalization and liberalization of world trade. In this context, it has become essential for EFP to take the lead and be the voice for the employers. The Child Labor Cell has been an integral part of the EFP activities. The next most important step is the convening of a national conference on Child Labor to come out with an employers’ viewpoint and a mission statement on this issue.
The progressive employers of Pakistan under the banner of EFP are determined to stamp out this blotch on the nation’s fabric. It will not be so easy a task, nor will it be a one-shot deal. It will require perseverance, it will require perception, and it will require persuasion. These qualities are inherent in the EFP manifesto. EFP is determined to provide effective channels to ensure that the Child Labor gets his/her "childhood" with dignity. And that’s THE pledge !
MAJYD AZIZ
CHIEF EDITOR