Motia broke into tears, narrating her daily ordeal as a child domestic laborer (CDL), unable to utter the next sentence. Her pain made us all choke on the Jago Dunya morning show on June 12th 2009 commemorating World Day Against Child Labor 2009.  Along with her, Sukhnain and Sambreen followed suit who also share the same profession, all between 14-16 years of age. There were many reasons for this but the most dominant ones were of:  loss of dignity each day, persistent ill treatment and exposure to physical and/or sexual harassment.             

Nadia Jamil the host and anchor person was adamant to do a significant piece on child labor on the occasion of World Day Against Child Labor 2009. The theme of WDACL was ‘Give girls a chance’, and what better way to highlight the issue than that of child domestic labor (CDL), which has a predominant presence of  girls (over 80%), and is a form of labor which is totally hidden from the public eye. Whilst globally CDL is considered the worst forms of child labor (WFCL), in Pakistan, out of 29 categories finalized as WFCL, child domestic labor still awaits a nod from ‘experts’ and the public. Is it the convenience and economy of this service which makes us so resistant to damning this form of child labor? Or is it the persistence of that feeling that CDL is the safest forms of child labor?  CDL is rationalized by many and too often we have heard conversations that claim “ but.. we give them food, care, clothing and shelter”. Or is it that ‘we give them left over food, bedding under the stairs, used clothing, and no leisure!’     

According to the Economic Survey released on June 11th 2009 by the Ministry of Finance (www.finance.gov.pk), Pakistan has  witnessed an alarming rise in the level of poverty from 22.5 % to 30% or possibly 35% (Economic Survey 2008-09), once the poverty data base is finalized by the government. This, together with the raging conflict , unprecedented displacement of 3 million and collapse of the education system, we are bound to see the numbers of CDL, and other worst forms of child labor swell. 

The government in its latest draft of the upcoming Education Policy has still not upgraded its section on Education in Emergencies to include conflicts and post conflict situations other than natural disasters (www.moe.gov.pk).  

There are major implications for education and particularly for girls education in our current conflict, whereby not only girls schools have been a major target but also girls education has been singled out for attack by extremists, committed to misogynistic positions or ‘girls/women as fitna’.  As long as they are out of school beyond grade 4 and behind closed doors they are acceptable to the ‘talibaans and extremists’. There is good reason for Motia, Sambreen and Sukhnain  to cry , as there is no hope for them. They are being targeted by their parents who have decided to push their children to the altar of child labor and its worst forms as they give up on their ‘struggle for survival’; by the feudal patriarchal mind sets who believe that CDL is a ‘way of life’ including physical and sexual abuse; by the lower. middle and upper class households who use substitutive child labor as a cheaper option to adults in these times of economic stress. 

The three girls are fortunately currently enrolled in a drop in centre, set up by Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) funded by the Ministry of Social Welfare and Special Education. The DIC known as “Aagahi Centre’ is a multi-sectoral support program run by a staff of 4 teachers providing: multiple education options(catch up, non –formal primary and literacy); health,  hygiene and life skills support; leisure ,creative expression and vocational safe livelihood skils. Some children are also receiving monthly stipends of Rs. 250 each and some have been linked to Pakistan Bait ul Maal programs as well. Sambreen and  Motia are now in grade 5 whilst Sukhnain is in grade 9, all, committed to completing their education milestones!         

Each one of the girls had been to school and was withdrawn in grades 2, 3 or 4.  Each one of them is wanting to continue their studies.  Each one is determined to see their siblings stay away from CDL and continue with their studies. Each one is seeking opportunities to complete at least middle if not matriculation or 10 years of schooling. Each one of the three has aspirations to become a teacher, beautician and a leader of the country!

All three know in the core of their beings that there remains the widest possible gap between aspirations and reality. They do not realize that : according to the labor force surveys the number of children in child labor for 10-14years age group is increasing, so more children, even after completing primary education are going into child labor (proving that primary schooling is not sufficient to deter children from labor). According to the Pakistan Social and

Living Measurement (PSLM) Survey 2006-07, the net enrolment rate(NER) at primary level is 65%; whilst at middle, NER  is 32  % and secondary NER is only  19% (PSLMs 2006-07), illustrating that the largest chunk of our school going age population remains out of school, and can only be classified as the most vulnerable. They are, on the streets, at homes working as cheap child domestic labor; child labor in general deprived of basic rights to education, open to trafficking and abuse of all sorts. The failure is not that of demand but continues to be due to the ‘collapse of supply side response in, education, social protection and legal entitlements.  Girls and women continue to suffer from  Do give girls a chance…                           

Recommendations:

• ·        Government to allocate and spend at least 3% to education urgently!
• ·        Recognizing the large number of push outs, withdrawn and drop outs, ensure that there are sufficient resources for education alternatives within the mainstream context so that the children from non-formal or catch programs can transfer to the formal systems of schools and learning.
• ·        Ensure that the linkages with literacy, vocational as livelihoods is institutionally embedded with secretaries /departments working across their respective ministries and departments.
• ·        Ensure that the poorest (households)are targeted through  social protection instruments (Child SUport; Family Support; Benazir Income Support Program (BISP); etc
• ·        Ensure that education in emergencies also expands to include conflicts and post conflict scenarios
• ·        Declare Child Domestic Labor as the Worms  of Child Labor in the nationally agreed list of trades urgently. earmarking for complete elimination

         ….

Baela Raza Jmail

ITA