PLF) National Seminar on the occasion of the World Day Against Child Labour and ILO Convention No 182 on 12th June,2012 at Lahore Pakistan

(PLF) National Seminar on the occasion of the World Day Against Child Labour and ILO Convention No 182 on 12^th June,2012 at Lahore Pakistan

On the occasion of the World Day Against Child Labour A National Seminar on the Forced Child Labour and the Role of Trade Unions organized by the P:akistan Labour Federation (PLF) with the collaboration of World Asian Workers Organization (WAWO) at Hotel Ambassador Lahore Pakistan on 12^th June,2012 at 3A.00.O Clock Mrs Bushra Malik Advisor to Governor Punjab presided the Seminar and Muhammad Aslam Gill Advisor to Prime Minister was the Chief Guest While addressing the Seminar Founder/Secretary General Haji Muhammad Saeed Arian welcomed the Chief Guest and Participants for their valuable participation in this Seminar and said that  Today marks the adoption of the landmark ILO Convention No 182  the worst forms of Child Labour. He said that there is no  progress made since the Convention's adoption in 1999, the World Day highlights continuing challenges, such as the millions of children involved in hazardous work. He said that according to  ILO estimates that some 215 million children are trapped in child Labour. Many of these children work long hours, often in dangerous conditions. Child Labour is closely associated with poverty and Denies Children their Right to Education. Many poor families are unable to afford school fees or other school costs. The family may depend on the contribution that a working child makes to the household's income, and place more importance on work than on education. When a family has to make a choice between sending either a boy or girl to school, it is often the girl who loses out.He told the Participants that at present 20 (PLF) Free Educational Institution are providing Free Education to the Working Children in all over the Country with the Assistance of (WAWO) He told the Participants that ILO Office Islamabad provided assistance until the (PLF) declare its affiliation with (WFTU) While addressing the Seminar Mrs Atia Saleem Chairperson told the Participants that The Ex Director of ILO Mr J Lakollo had visited (PLF) Free Educational Institution ta Lahore with the Present Senior Programme Officer of ILO office Islamabad Mr Saifullha Ch and appreciated the (PLF) on the Elimination of Child Labour through Free Education Programme She said that we are unable to understand why the ILO office Islamabad stopped their assistance after our affiliation with (WFTU) She said that This year the World Day Against Child Labour will provide a spotlight on the right of all children to be protected from Child Labour and from other violations of Fundamental Human Rights.. World Day 2012 will highlight the work that needs to be done to make the roadmap a reality and (PLF)  to implement policies and programs in accordance with the ILO and (PLF free Educational Institutions .are  enhance students' knowledge and understanding of child labor issues National and international .levels.
Waheed Ahmad Ch Advocate Legal Advisor (PLF) (WAWO) said that UN System of Human Rights Protection also provide protection on Children’s Rights system.
He said that ILO’s Child Labour Conventions 138 concerning the Minimum Age for Admission to Employment and 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour are among the most widely ratified of all the ILO Conventions. Of the ILO’s 185 member States According to UNICEF, there are an estimated 250 million children aged 5 to 14 in child Labour worldwide, excluding child domestic Labour. The United Nation and the ILO consider child Labour exploitative, with the UN stipulating, in article 32 of the Convention on the Right of Child: He said that  Conventions on Child Labour are among the most widely ratified of all ILO Conventions. More and more countries have established national plans to tackle child Labour or have introduced laws prohibiting hazardous work by children. And in consciousness, policy and practice, crucial linkages are increasingly being made: between child Labour and poverty, and between the elimination of child Labour and universal access to quality education.

Mrs Bushra malik Siad that the largest gap between commitment and action is in the informal economy, where the majority of violations of Fundamental Labour Rights occur, the . Children in rural and agricultural areas, as well as children of migrant workers and indigenous peoples, are most vulnerable to being caught in Child Labour she said that the Present Government is working actively for the Elimination of all kinds of forced Child Labour.  She said that We should also build on national policies and programmes that are in place and learn from them to ensure effective action against child labor in all parts of the  Country She appreciated thw statement of Director General of ILO in which he said that .“Decent work for parents, and education for children are indispensable elements of strategies for the elimination of Child Labour.

Muhammad Aslam Gill Chief Gust Said that  During the Industrial Revolution, Children as young as four were employed in production factories with dangerous, and often fatal, working conditions. Based on this understanding of the use of children as workers, it is now considered by Developed Countries to be a Human rights violation, and is outlawed, while some poorer countries may allow or tolerate child labor. Child labor can also be defined as the full-time employment of children who are under a minimum legal age. He said that Child Labour is still common in some parts of the World, it can be factory work, mining, quarrying, agriculture, helping in the parents' business, having one's own business (for example selling food), or doing odd jobs. Some children work as guides for tourists, sometimes combined with bringing in business for shops and restaurants (where they may also work as waiters). Other children are forced to do tedious and repetitive jobs such as assembling boxes, polishing shoes, stocking a store's products, or cleaning. However, rather than in factories child Labour occurs in the informal sector, "selling many things on the streets, at work in agriculture or hidden away in houses—far from the reach of official Labour inspectors and from media scrutiny. He appreciated the (PLF) and (WAWO) officials for the providing Free education to the Working Children and appeal to ILO to support their assistance those organization working practically not in papers for the elimination of Child Labour Muhammad Amin Bhatti,Muhammad Saleem,Suhmalia Sadiq,Samia Gul Khan,Akbar Ali Khokar,Rana Muhammad Akram Hamad Maqsood Gill,Moaz Ch also addressed the Seminar

(Haji Muhammad saeed Arian)
Founder/Secretary General

Pakistan Labour Federation (PLF)