UN agency pledges to help Pakistan tackle abusive child labour practices

The United Nations International Labour Organization (ILO) has partnered with the European Commission (EC) for a five-year project to help Pakistan curb abusive child labour and take 10,000 children out of hazardous workplaces.

The 545 million Pakistani rupee, or €5.2 million Euro, scheme will focus on children working in conditions ranging from exposure to chemicals and other harmful substances to long, tedious working hours.

The “Combating Abusive Child Labour II” programme will be implemented by ILO, in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour and Manpower, provincial labour departments, employers and workers organizations, local governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), research institutions and the media, among others.

Donglin Li, the Director of ILO’s Pakistan office, underscored his agency’s commitment to curbing the worst forms of child labour by 2016 within the framework of the ILO Decent Work Agenda.