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Rampant
child labour in glass bangle industry Living
in food paradise can be hell Disposable
plans When
the going gets tough, the tough get going
issue
By AA
Khan
Working
for more than eight hours a day, these children suffer through terrible
working conditions and bad health. The incidents of respiratory diseases
among these children and other disorders are much higher than among other
children their age. These young children suffer not only from respiratory
problems but also from skin problems because of the nature of their work.
Working in close contact with fire and glass, their young skin is damaged
beyond repair. Bruises and burns and ratio of muscular-skeletal disorders
like low back pain, neck pain and shoulder pain are high among children
working in the glass bangle industry.
Some
hard hitting facts and figures were disclosed through the findings of a
recent survey 'Baseline survey on child labour' conducted by the
International Labour Organisation (ILO). About 10,000 children below 18
years are employed in the glass bangle industry in Hyderabad. This
staggering figure has rung alarm bells for all working for the elimination
of child labour. The ILO in its report on the worst form of child labour
says that 6,778 boys and 2,806 girl children are working alone in the bangle
industry of Hyderabad which can be termed as a cottage industry. The ILO
survey revealed that the main reason for children to be employed in large
numbers in the industry is illiterate parents. Eight out of ten mothers of
these working children were illiterate. This illiteracy accounts for the
joblessness among adults that forces the young ones of the household to
start working. However, instead of choosing work the children can easily do
within their physical and mental capacities, these children are exploited by
employers who pay them less and make them work hard.
However,
most of these children have never been to school and if in case some have
attended schools at some point, they have had to leave their education to
support the family financially. Almost two thirds of children working in the
glass bangle industry are below ten years of age.
The
constitution of Pakistan says that no child below 14 years of age shall be
engaged in any factory or mine or any other hazardous employment in Article
11(3). While article 37(E) states that the state shall protect the marriage,
the family, the mother and the child and the state shall make provisions for
ensuring that children are not employed in vocations unsuited to their age. Furthermore,
the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children states that
childhood is entitled to special care and assistance and in all actions
concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare
institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities or legislative
bodies, the best interest of the child shall be of primary consideration.
Even
international indicators quoted proudly by policy makers point to the dark
side. The UNICEF annual report of the State of the World's Children for 2005
puts Pakistan at 46th among 157 countries in terms of basic indicators for
child welfare. The findings showed 19 per cent children born in the country
between 1998 and 2003 were low birth weight. According
to rough estimates, eight to ten million children are employed in various
sectors but the official figures puts that to 3.5 million children. Even if
there is a stark difference in figures, the point remains that child labour
is rampant whether it is affecting ten million young children or 3.5
million. The
National Labour Survey conducted by the Federal Bureau of Statistics found
that out of 40 million children in the country between 5–14 years of age
3.3 million or 8.3 per cent were working. The maximum number was found to be
working in the agriculture sector in rural areas. But independent records
say that at least 45 million children across the country were engaged in
labour with Punjab leading and Sindh at number three with nine per cent,
NWFP 32 per cent and Balochistan with the lowest at 0.4 per cent. Almost
70.11 per cent of total child labour is categorised as unpaid family help,
23.15 per cent as employees and 6.74 per cent as self employed workers of
whom 46 per cent were forced to work more than eight hours a day. The ILO
which is carrying out various projects to eliminate or minimise child labour
states that around 20 per cent of child labour was due to poverty while the
underlying factors for this were a dearth of opportunities, lack of
education and a lack of awareness. It puts the figure between eight to ten
million with half of these children out of school. The
children, most of whom are suffering from tuberculosis and other respiratory
ailments, can not even imagine proper health care provided by the employers,
as even the adult workers employed in the glass bangle industry are provided
with no basic facilities including health cover. Realising the fact, ILO has
launched a project in collaboration with the National Rural Support Program
(NRSP) titled International Program on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC)
for elimination of the worst forms of child labour (WCFL) that would work in
the glass bangle industry of Hyderabad for eradication of child labour from
the bangle industry. Nazar
Hussein Joyo, program officer of the project tells Kolachi that the project
started in the last month of 2005 and is expected to by 2008, as the
children labouring in the bangle industry would be informally educated. He says
that 100 non–formal education centres would be established in Hyderabad
alone and besides non–formal education the children would also be provided
with basic literacy including awareness regarding health and safety issues
in the working environment. Almost 60 literacy centres will also be opened
during the project implementation. Joyo
adds that the project is also raising awareness among general public on
issues and concerns related to occupational safety and health issues in the
glass bangle industry and hazards faced by the child labourers. The worst
form of child labour in the bangle industry is also being highlighted
through activities including cultural events and awareness programs, the
NRSP program officer revealed. So far
many programs have been organised to sensitise all the stakeholders involved
along with training workshop for journalists who contribute a lot through
their writings and non–formal schools have also being set up. The key
to sustaining project impact at the district level lies in strengthening
linkages between the district government institutions and key stakeholders
and would also influence district government through the planning process at
district level, sensitise the district government officials on children in
worst form of labour and access to education for child labourers in the
education plan of the district government. It is a
positive gesture that ILO along with NRSP has initiated. The campaign for
eliminating the worst form of child labour from the glass bangle industry,
to save the future generations of the country and educating these children
would help sustain prosperity in the country. Proper monitoring of the
project and participation of stakeholders along with a watchdog is also
essential for the success of the project aimed at eliminating the
exploitation of young children. Government
agencies should also work in coordination with project managers for the
elimination of child labour and should implement the relevant law of the
land. Education for all needs to be implemented in its true sense through
providing means for these children to be literate instead of focusing on a
particular group or sector. It is crucial for the sake of the country's
economic and social future that children are
educated, provided for and are trained to become true professionals
in the future.
neighbourhood Everyone
has been to Boat Basin. While most of us just eat there and come back home,
some live among the perpetual noise of
katakat and the nauseating smell By
Sumaira Jajja Photos by
Athar Khan
The
locality is a primarily a residential area with two apartment buildings
having shops at their front, which have been turned into eateries. A strip
of closely clustered shops, the area boasts of some of some of the tastiest
food joints in Karachi. With Tandoori Hut and Karachi Broast topping the
list, its no wonder that people keep on dropping by to have a snack even in
the wee hours of the night.
Starting
from the underpass and ending at the Bar B Q Tonight restaurant at the
Shireen Jinnah Colony roundabout, Boat Basin is located on Khayaban–e–Roomi.
While the food street is the most popular feature of Boat Basin, there are
quite a few other notable spots that can be added on to the list like Laraib
and Motta's. Also BB can proudly say that it has a canal named after the
famous Omer Khayyam. Now, you will not be able to spot the canal anywhere
since what was named as Nehr–e–Khayyam is nothing more than a stinking
nallah that carries the sewerage from the adjoining areas. Somehow, Omer
Khayyam would be turning in his grave as what was intended to be a serene
inlet with trees on its side is now a stench emanating drain that can give
you severe nausea. Located right next to the Nehr–e–Khayyam is the
college section of Karachi Grammar School. While one side of the nallah is
inhabited by beggar families stricken with poverty, the other side has kids
coming in shining cars loaded to the hilt. To a general observer, this may
be the perfect representation of Pakistan's economic structure where the
divide between the rich and the poor grows bigger with each passing day. While
on the topic of KGS, one annual ritual that the residents of the area get to
see is the traffic jam that is a result of parents queuing up to get the
admission forms of this prestigious institution. With cars parked bumper to
bumper, the entire road is blocked as people haggle for parking space. It is
actually quite a sight to see the parents drop in as early as five in the
morning to grab the perfect parking spot and be the first to get the form.
This scribe has been a witness to one such incident whereby two dignified
citizens were cursing at each other as they rushed to park their cars in a
niche. Keeping aside all manners, the two men, both former students of this
institution and heading successful businesses, went on fighting like goons
much to the surprise of onlookers. So much for
(mis)education. While to a visitor, BB is a fine place for food, for the residents it can be quite a task to reside here. From the stench of rotting food mixed with the bad smell from the drain, the irritating noise of the katakat that continues till at least four in the morning as one tosses and turns in bed, to the various 'gangs' trying to sort out their differences on girls and cars in one of the alleys, things are not picture perfect. There have been times when some rash drivers high on intoxicants have hit someone out for a walk and then there are the 'ooglers' who are out at BB to eat food but would not stop staring into the balconies of the flats situated above. For someone who wants to have a nice cup of tea while enjoying the breeze, it is a daunting task to ignore the totally uncalled for cat calls from some Romeo out for a burger. But the over all law and order situation is under control as despite the heavy influx of visitors, mobile thefts are low and police is quick to respond to any situation. Take it or leave it, Boat Basin is one bustling vicinity all round the year.
hyderabad
blues Five
months ago the newly elected district government of Hyderabad initiated a
much hyped cleanliness drive that has failed to achieve any of its
objectives Text and
photos by Amar Guriro
It was
immediately after coming into office in November 2005 that the newly elected
Zila Nazim Hyderabad, Kanwar Naveed Jamil promised to launch a high–level
cleanness drive. "The need for bringing a behavioural change in society
and improvement of government functionaries to maintain cleanliness on
permanent basis in the district is very important," the Zila Nazim
stressed. "There
are many problems faced by the people of Hyderabad which have to be
addressed by long and short term planning. Cleanliness is being given top
priority under short term planning by the District Government," Kanwar
Naveed Jamil announced after initiating the cleanness drive in the presence
of UC Nazims and other elected representatives at Naseem Nagar Chowk. Before
the drive, the newly elected District government conducted a weeklong survey
of the four Taluka Municipal areas of the district. The survey revealed that
almost every street in the city not only had garbage dumps but was also
littered with unattended waste material. It was therefore decided that the
campaign would continue till the targets were achieved and the dumps were
cleaned completely. Yet after many months most neighbourhoods in the heart
of the city are still waiting to be cleaned. As many
as 25 vehicles including loaders, dumpers, tractor blade, escalators and
tractor trolleys with 1100 sanitary workers and supervisory staff were
engaged to work under the supervision of TMO and TO infrastructure to run
the drive smoothly but all these efforts seem to have been exercises in
futility. On the
instructions of the district Nazim, all the UC Nazims and Taluka Nazims of
the district also started door–to–door campaigns to seek public
cooperation and appealed to residents to realise their responsibility and
extend full cooperation to sanitary workers. According to the Nazim, all the
manpower and machinery available with TMAs was put in the field while
additional manpower and machinery was hired to manage the workload. The
management of the Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) had also offered its
technical and mechanical assistance to make the campaign a success. District
Government Hyderabad had also planned to distribute fifty thousand dustbins
in the district in the first phase of the cleanliness drive to discourage
people from littering on roads and streets. However, no dustbins have
arrived as yet and all the manpower and machines employed for the purpose
seem to have had no impact whatsoever as the streets are as littered as they
were five months ago. Moreover,
the Zila Nazim had also warned encroachers and builders to remove their
encroachment and debris voluntarily, failing which action would be taken
against them. The relevant TMOs were also asked to remove all
garbage/debris, illegal signboards from the streets based on the reason that
they impede traffic. There were also announcements regarding the
establishment of a landfill site outside the city, privatisation of solid
waste disposal work, brick pavements on katcha areas along with main
arteries and the conversion of abandoned areas into parks and playgrounds. Adding
to all this, after assuming charge, the District Nazim also promised to
solve the most crucial problems of the city. In his very first address, he
announced that the concerned authorities had been asked to make the new
Sabzi Mandi, cattle colony and the slaughterhouse to be functional within a
month so that all these activities could be shifted out of municipal areas.
Once again, these promises remain promises only and absolutely no work has
started on this. The
district Nazim at that time had said that he is "optimistic that all
things will be settled and all short comings would be fulfilled" but
according to an aggrieved citizen, "These 'elected representatives'
announce many things during an election campaign or right after the
elections but as time passes by, they forget there promises and
announcements. The same has happened with the cleanliness campaign",
said Muhammad Raza Mari, resident of Qasimabad. Now
that the cleanliness drive has failed, the District Nazim claims that
garbage that had accumulated over the years can not be cleaned in four
months. Talking to this correspondent, he stated that the district
government has many other tasks to take care of besides this drive.
"Why do people just criticise rather than helping the authorities. We
have started something and it will be finished but it will take some more
time but that doesn't mean we have failed," he complained.
Whatever
be the reasons for the failure of the cleanliness drive, or as the Nazim
insists, a delay in implementation, the city of Hyderabad is in a filthy
state and all its residents can do is hope the authorities will take notice.
Maybe they expect a lot from the newly elected District Nazim Hyderabad, who
belongs to MQM, the strongest coalition party of the Sindh government, but
eventually it will be up to them to clean up the mess of the second largest
city of the province.
karachicharacter By Shamaila Khalid
Kolachi: When did you
start working? Nasreen: I have been
working for the past ten or eleven years. I was very young when I started
working. Kolachi: What is your
daily routine? Nasreen: Well, I start my
day by going to school, which starts at 7:30 am and ends at 12:30. Then from
there I go to work at a house where I do different household chores till two
in the afternoon. After this I go to the second house and from there I am
free by half past three. I also take Quran classes daily at about four in
the evening. Then I go home, have dinner and then return to the first house
at six, where I prepare dinner for them. My work then finishes at about
eight when I am free to go home. This is my daily routine. Kolachi: How do your
employers treat you?
Kolachi: How do you
commute? Do you take the bus? Nasreen: I don't have to
take the bus to go to my school or work places because they are all near to
each other. Even my home is not far from my school and where I work. Kolachi: What class are
you in and which school? Nasreen: I go to a
government school that is near my home. I am studying in class two now. Kolachi: Do your siblings
go to school as well? Nasreen: Yes, three of my
younger siblings also go to school. My twelve year old sister goes to the
same school as me and is in class three. Two of my brothers go to a private
school. One of them is fourteen, whereas my youngest brother is ten years
old and is also in class two. Both of them do not like to go to school but
we (the elder siblings) force them to study because this is the only way
they can do something with their lives. Kolachi: What do you want
to do with your life? Nasreen: I want to study
because I don't want to spend my whole life working in other peoples'
houses. When I complete my education, I am going to work in an office. Kolachi: You don't want to
become a teacher? Nasreen: Absolutely not! I
have seen what teachers are like. All the teachers in my school spend their
time talking amongst themselves rather than teaching. And they are always
beating students with a danda as thick as my arm. They hit students with it
for small things like when they get poor marks in tests. But I don't know
why they expect their students to do well in tests when they don't teach us
anything. Usually they don't even bother coming in to the class and even
when they do, they spend most of the time talking to other teachers. If a
student goes up to them to ask them to take the class, they say "Jao
araam se baith jao. Ab tum mujhe ko sikhao gay ke class kis taran letay hain?"
Kolachi: Have you been hit
by a teacher as well? Nasreen: Yes, my class
teacher used to but then I told her that my head hurts a lot whenever she
hits me. So now she doesn't hit me. Kolachi: If you're not
learning anything in this school then why don't you switch? Nasreen: You are right. It
is no use going to such a school. This is the reason why so many students
don't even come to school anymore and those who do attend classes usually
take tuitions. I also take some help from the daughter of the lady I work
for. I go to this school because I can afford its fees, which is 30 rupees
per year. I really want to learn and make something of myself but what can I
do when I don't get any education from my school. I feel very helpless and
frustrated because of this. Kolachi: How much do you
earn in a month? Nasreen: I earn 1400
rupees. Kolachi: Is that enough? Nasreen: Well, the
combined income of all my siblings and the occasional income of my father is
enough for us. In addition to this, we have also rented out a part of our
house. We get about 3000 rupees from that. All of this is sufficient for my
family. Kolachi: Do you sometimes
wish that your life was different? Nasreen: No, I am happy
with my life. I never blame my parents for their inability to support us.
They are doing what they can. When most parents don't let their children
study, my parents have never stopped any of us from getting an education.
They understand that education is the only way that we can improve our
lives. As far as work is concerned, this is something we have to do in order
to survive. When many girls her age
are still looking at the world with rose-coloured glasses, Nasreen has not
only seen the bitter realities of life but has also faced them with courage.
She has learnt that if she wants to change her life for the good, then she
alone would have to do it. Graciously accepting the fact that one has to
work hard in order to improve one's lot in life and just doing it – such
is Karachi's character.
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Hyderabad,
among other things is renowned for its glass bangles. Almost ten thousand
children work in miserable conditions to produce these delicate accessories.
Kolachi takes a look at child labour in the glass bangle industry and
reveals the blood sweat and tears behind the glittering glass bangles that
sell everywhere...
For
this reason alone, the bangle industry of Hyderabad is in need of a major
shake up. The children are underpaid and work in atrocious conditions. This
pathetic state of child labour in the bangle industry reflects badly on the
government which is working very hard towards changing Pakistan's image.
Such issues have to be dealt with great importance since these problems
affect the soft image projection of the country on the global level.
The
survey doesn't end here; it goes on to reveal that 85 per cent of these
10,000 children are illiterate and don't or have never been to school. This
again reflects poorly on the educational reforms that have been aggressively
pursued by the government. The parents can not be held responsible for these
children working. According to a point noted in the survey, eight out of ten
parents are willing to educate their children through agreed for informal
schooling. This is indeed an encouraging sign that suggests that if provided
with the means, people are interested in educating their children.
The
social and economic condition of Pakistan is such that because of startling
poverty and large families, it is considered a norm for the entire family to
contribute to the household income, including children as young as five.
Child labour, in its worst forms, is very much a part of Pakistani society.
It is an economic reality. However, no one can deny that it is wrong for
such young children to be working, and this is amplified when the conditions
they
But
all these laws intended to protect children have gone largely unimplemented.
Children under 18 years form at least 50 per cent of the country's total 152
million people. These children across the country remain out of school and
form a very significant part of the labour force and face physical, sexual
or emotional abuse in one form or the other at the workplace or otherwise.
Having
practically spent almost two decades of life in the bustling area of Boat
Basin, the mere thought of moving to another place simply gives me the
jitters. Popular know as the food street on the other side of the bridge and
able enough to give the Burns Road people a run for their money, Boat Basin
is one of the most famous corners of Karachi that Karachiites from diverse
backgrounds love to throng on any given evening. 
The
best bit about living at Boat Basin is that good food is close by. From the
spicy chaats to the even spicier nihari and then the countless junk food
shops that suit various budgets, BB is a food junkie's delight. Whether it's
the early morning halwa puri treat or the quick afternoon meal at one of the
fast food joints or a late night dinner with friends, the mouth watering
delights offered at Boat Basin are unmatched. Apart from the food bit, Boat
Basin is also famous as a dating spot. It's a common sight to spot a love
struck couple in a car or on a bike as they share their broast sharing big
mushy smiles. Much to the displeasure of the heads of the schools in the
vicinity, a lot of young students also find BB as a safe dating spot and
choose to bunk school and have halwa puri instead of morning classes. 
While
the hustle and bustle of Boat Basin is there, the ronak is amplified during
Ramadan. While the eateries are closed during the day, after iftar, they
continue to work till sehri and over the past few years sehri at Boat Basin
is a ritual for many. Chand Raat receives the maximum number of diners as
the shoppers drop by to have a quick dinner and resume shopping. The only
time Boat Basin wears a deserted look is on New Year's Eve. For no apparent
reason except for security concerns, the entire Boat Basin area is blocked.
With a heavy police contingent guarding the locality, the shop keepers have
to pull down the shutters and look helplessly as the crowd moves towards the
Sea View area.
Once
called the Paris of South Asia for its perfumed roads, Hyderabad today is a
different picture all together. The open gutters, huge garbage dumps
outlining roads and not to forget traffic jams across the city have all
become a permanent part of the landscape. What is ironic in all this is that
it was only five months ago when the District Government of Hyderabad
enthusiastically initiated a much hyped cleanliness drive.
Nasreen
Ahmed is an 18 year old who works as a maid, not only to help support her
family but also to put herself through school. She is the third child among
her seven bothers and sisters. Nasreen's father, who is a labourer, is
unable to provide a steady income, as it is difficult for him to find
regular work. Her mother used to stitch clothes but now due to failing
eyesight has given that up. Thus, the responsibility of providing for the
household has fallen on the children; all of them except the youngest two
are engaged in some work or another.
Nasreen:
When I was younger, people used to make me do a lot of unpaid work. But now
that I am older, I don't let people treat me unfairly. I only do the work
for which I get paid. Otherwise, my employers treat me well.