The two proclaimed aims before the UNO are
- Establishment of permanent peace in the world
- To fight against social evils like poverty, ignorance, diseases and social injustice. According to the UNO Charter of Human Rights
‘Child Labour’ is a great social injustice and evil. In spite of all good intentions of the World Body and the governments, child labour is commonly practiced everywhere, especially in the Third World countries. Charles Dicken’s famous novel ‘Oliver Twist’ is a great protest against Child Labour in England of his days ‘Tess’ by Thomas Hardy presents a very shocking picture. Novels, short stories, films and T.V. features reflect the tendencies of the Age.
The main reasons behind child labour are poverty and social injustice in capitalistic society. Children of the poor parents are denied the light of education. They are born in poverty and live in squalor and poverty. Some times orphans have no homes. The children of broken homes where husbands and wives have bad relations, turn to the streets. They sleep on the pavements and even in drains and gutter lines. Such painful stories are very common in the affluent societies of England and America. [the_ad id=”17141″]
In Pakistan poverty, diseases and ignorance walk hand in hand with the common people. The picture of the Third World countries is very discouraging. Children of school going age are forced to share the family incomes due to poverty and adverse conditions. Urbanization has added to the magnitude of the problem. Children work in rich men’s houses as maids and servants. Many work in hotels and restaurants, motor garages and workshops. Some are seen washing and cleaning cars and Taxies, doing shoe-polishing. The employers generally ill-treat them. There are 80 lacs such children in Pakistan.
There are some organized gangs that kidnap the children and force them, to beg and steal and earn money by hooks and crooks. In the western world, poor girls are forced to sell their bodies and earn their living. The parents are helpless. The society turns its eyes from the social evils and injustice. In Pakistan boys form the bulk of child labour.
The practice must be stopped by Law. Children upto the age of fourteen must be forced to go to the schools. Poor houses must be opened for the orphans and poor children. Children are the greatest blessings of God. They are like flowers of the society. Special laws must be made against violation of Human rights and applied strictly. Special levy must be imposed on the rich and the well-to-do to raise funds for the noble cause.
It is only the Islamic Laws and Islamic Economic system that can overcome the problem and restore the dignity of the children. They form one-fourth of national population. All claims of the government to do away with poverty from the country, are bogus and deceptions Vire talks and lip sympathy can not solve the problem.
