Child labor in Pakistan : a comparative analysis of national and international legislation

Abstract

Child is born free and needs nourishment, health care and compulsory-free education but due to financial constraints and wide spread poverty millions of children across the world are employed in different hazardous and non-hazardous industries. The purpose of this research project is to discuss the problem of child-labor and to analyze problem in the light of national and international law. The research focuses on the importance of effective labor laws and there swift and smooth application. Child labor is complex problem that has different aspect that are not just legal issues and needs multi-dimensional approach to control this menace and save children. Children being the victims of exploitation in many sectors are forced into labor, while not receiving compulsory education crucial to development, concerns many people. The focus of this research is to find the gaps and loopholes at national level in the light of international standards and to identify the norms to fill these gaps. The methodology employed in this research is comparative and normative. As domestic laws are compared with International law, and norms are identified to fill gaps in domestic legislation. The research made recommendations which can be constructive to handle the issue of child labor in Pakistan.