Elimination Projects & Rehabilitation of Child Labour

Equally important is to make intervention in the production units considered to be hazardous and using child labour by mobilising the producers, manufacturers, donors and NGOs. The need is to design a mechanism, whereby: (i) manufacturers committing not to use child labour are registered, (ii) children are withdrawn from the work, (iii) concrete steps are taken for the rehabilitation of child labour, (iv) certificates are issued to the effect that production is made without the child labour, and (v) a transparent monitoring system is evolved. As a first step, such a project can be initiated for the exportables, for instance, it could be the manufacturing and exports of carpets.

In India, carpet producers, loom owners and exporters with the assistance of some donors have already started such a project known as rugmark. This project is helping in the removal of child labour and their rehabilitation from the registered carpet manufacturers. The children of under 10 are sent to the primary schools, while those between 10-14 years have the choice to go either to school education or for vocational training. The project has designed a fairly transparent monitoring mechanism. It has started the export of child labour-free carpets with a logo rugmark. Reportedly, 70,000  such  carpets  have  been exported to Germany alone in 1995.

Source: Poverty Alleviation in Pakistan: Present Scenario and Future Strategy, Mohibul Haq Sahibzada. Republished with permission.