Main sections National Legislation and Policies Against Child Labour in Pakistan IPEC Action in Pakistan Other Initiatives Against Child Labour in Pakistan Download full text - PDF 159 KB See also Information Resources Pakistan

Combating Hazardous and Exploitative Child Labour in Surgical Instruments Manufacturing (Phase II)

The Atlanta Agreement was followed by an initiative undertaken by the Italian Social Partners for combating child labour in the surgical instruments industry, with the collaboration of the ILO and SIMAP (Surgical Instruments Manufacturers' Association of Pakistan) in Sialkot district. The project, titled Combating Hazardous and Exploitative Child Labour in Surgical Instruments Manufacturing through Prevention, Withdrawal, and Rehabilitation, was launched in 2000.

The project aimed to:

• withdraw children from surgical instruments manufacturing, prevent their entry into surgical instruments manufacturing and provide appropriate rehabilitation, prevention, and protection to the children and families targeted by the programme;
• strengthen the capacity of the social partners (employers' and workers' organizations) to prevent and progressively eliminate child labour in the surgical instruments industry.

Over a period of two years, the project has contributed to the reduction of child labour in one of the country's major export industries. Under its direct action programmes, 79 non-formal education centers were set up and 2045 children were enrolled with these centers. So far, 506 children have passed the government primary school certificate examination and 893 children have been mainstreamed into formal education. Attendance in these programmes has resulted in substantially reduced working hours for the children. The education initiative has been complemented with action by the labour groups, particularly the All Pakistan Federation of Trade Unions (APFTU) and the All Pakistan Federation of Labour (APFOL). They established contact with the target groups and concerned stakeholders and carried out a number of activities aimed at raising awareness about the child labour problem in the surgical instruments industry, and the need to address it.

In view of the lessons learned and experience gained, the project was extended into a second phase. In its second phase, the project was expanded to cover larger numbers of children. Around 1,200 children, aged 14 years and below, working in the surgical instruments industry in Sialkot district, were targeted to benefit from the project through the provision of non-formal education, pre-vocational training and other support services.

The bridging phase addresses the gaps in the action programmes and will cover consensus building activities among stakeholders on the elimination of the worst forms of child labour. Additionally, it will include capacity building of workers through the registration of vendors and manufacturers and awareness raising on core labour standards. It also includes capacity building of the district government for effective elimination of the worst forms of child labour.