AN ANALYSIS OF FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CHILD LABOUR IN SINDH

Abstract

Child labour is still a widespread issue in Sindh, Pakistan even though there are progressive legal frameworks in place that are focused on children’s rights and protecting them. The present study investigates the various factors socio economic, legal, institutional, educational, and cultural which are responsible for the persistence of child labour in the province. A qualitative research design was employed for the study and semi structured interviews were used as the main method for data collection with major stakeholders such as government officials, NGO representatives, and legal experts. Thematic analysis was the main method of analysis for the study in order to extract significant patterns, challenges, and systemic gaps that hindered child labour prevention and child rights protection. The results have shown that the main cause of child labour in the family, with the children's income being the main support for the family, is poverty and the poor economy of the household. The enforcement of anti child labour laws, inefficiency in the institutions concerned, corruption, and lack of proper coordination between departments were mentioned as the strongest deterrents to effective prevention of child labour. Besides, lack of access to proper education, and deep rooted cultural beliefs that are supportive of child labour make the situation worse. Non governmental organizations and civil society efforts are highly significant in the areas of raising awareness, rehabilitation, and policy advocacy, but the effect of these activities is limited due to poor coordination with government departments. The recommendations made by the study include the strengthening of legal enforcement mechanisms, the improvement of interdepartmental coordination, the allocation of adequate resources, the enhancement of capacity building, and the promotion of community awareness and engagement in order to ensure the protection of children’s rights. This research adds to the understanding of the multifaceted factors that keep child labour alive in Sindh and underlines the need for thorough, multidimensional approaches that incorporate legal, institutional, and social strategies.