Archbishop Dr. Joseph Arshad urges coordinated national action to eliminate child labour

ISLAMABAD, Aug 4 (APP):Archbishop Dr. Joseph Arshad, Bishop of Islamabad-Rawalpindi, has strongly condemned child labour, describing it as a grave violation of human dignity that deprives millions of their childhood, education and a brighter future.

He called for coordinated and effective action by the government, law enforcement agencies, educational institutions, religious leaders, employers and civil society to eradicate the menace.

In a statement issued on child labour, Archbishop Dr. Joseph Arshad said that every child has the fundamental right to education, protection, healthcare, personal development and a safe childhood. He stressed that children belong in schools, playgrounds, homes and supportive communities, not in factories, workshops, brick kilns, farms, domestic labour or other hazardous workplaces.

He said child labour is closely linked to poverty, unemployment, limited access to quality education, social inequality, weak enforcement of protective laws and the exploitation of economically vulnerable families.

Archbishop Dr. Joseph Arshad urged the Government of Pakistan, provincial governments, law enforcement agencies, educational institutions, employers, religious leaders, parents, civil society organisations and local communities to work together by ensuring effective enforcement of child protection and labour laws, providing free and quality education, improving school enrolment and retention, introducing family support programmes, expanding vocational opportunities for adults, strengthening social protection measures, raising public awareness and rehabilitating affected children.

He also appealed to employers to ensure that their workplaces and supply chains remain free from child labour. He urged religious institutions, educational establishments, media organisations and community leaders to promote a culture that respects the dignity, rights and safety of every child.

Concluding his message, Archbishop Dr. Joseph Arshad said, “Our children are not instruments of labour; they are the hope and future of our nation. Let us place books in their hands instead of tools, welcome them into classrooms instead of workplaces, and surround them with care instead of exploitation so that together we can build a more just, educated, compassionate and peaceful Pakistan.