Case Study: Child Labor in Manufacturing Industries, Pakistan

This report presents a case study on child labor within the manufacturing industries of Pakistan, focusing on the Timothy and Thomas clothing plant. It examines the exploitation of children in factories, driven by poverty and the demand for cheap labor. The report discusses the families involved...Read More

Running Head: CHILD LABOUR IN PAKISTAN.
Case Study: Child Labor in Manufacturing Industries, Pakistan.
Name
Institutional Affiliation

CHILD LABOR IN PAKISTAN
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction...................................................................................................................................3
2.0 Discussion.............................................................................................................................................4
2.1 The Families at work in Pakistan...................................................................................................4
2.2 The Child Care in Pakistan.............................................................................................................5
2.3 The Child Labor in Industries, Pakistan.......................................................................................5
Recommendations.....................................................................................................................................6
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................................8
References..................................................................................................................................................9
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CHILD LABOR IN PAKISTAN
1.0 Introduction
This report is about the issue of child labor in Timothy and Thomas clothing plant back in
Lahore, Pakistan. It shows that the contractors in undeveloped countries are not abiding by the
company regulations and guidelines regarding employment and more specifically the issue of
child labor.
Child labor has been a problem in Pakistan, in various cloth factories children are being
exploited as they are being lured with money to work in the manufacturing industries as they
provide cheap labor. This practice is unethical which should be stopped, with the effort put in
place by the Pakistan Government, the problem is curbed. (Ray, 2000).
2.0 Discussion.
2.1 The Families at work in Pakistan.
The families in Pakistan are generally poor, living below the dollar which has made them
vulnerable to the problem of child labor in the industries. Children accompany their parents to
the clothing industries to work instead of going to school. The pay that they still get there is
minimal and a times they are not being paid by the contractors as they just help their parents who
are the ones getting paid.
2.2 The Child Care in Pakistan.
The girl child in Pakistan is not being taken to school rather they accompany their mothers in
clothing industries to work because they opt to remain in such a place where it is under the roof
than being exposed in other places which are more hazardous like the cotton industries or
working as maids.
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CHILD LABOR IN PAKISTAN
As the result of the increased number in development of manufacturing industries as well as the
increased population that has women take the role in working at the manufacturing industries.
Children have been left under the care of either their older ones or maids who do not attend to
the adequately as their mothers could. This has negatively impacted on the health of the children
in Pakistan. (Mancini et al., 2008).
2.3 The Child Labor in Industries, Pakistan.
After Jonathan Stein visit in Pakistan he observed how children of schooling going age were
present in the clothing plant working instead of going to school. This is against the Timothy and
Thomas policy and guidelines in regards to child labor. The girls looked younger than 14 years’
old which is a recommended age to work in Pakistan but while asked they noted that they were
comfortable working in the plant.
Over the years, Pakistan has experienced worst forms of child labor in various manufacturing
industries across the country. Children were being lured with money to join the workforce in the
manufacturing industries, which was a great source of cheap labor as the children were just being
paid pennies as they do not have huge financial responsibilities.
Therefore, in 2007 the government of Pakistan had to come up with the regulation which saw the
minimum employment years to 15 years while 19 years in those hazardous industries. The
government also introduced a free compulsory education that saw many children acquire formal
education, therefore, the growth of literacy levels in the country. (Mansuri, 2006).
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CHILD LABOR IN PAKISTAN
Evaluation. CRAAP TEST
Currency: The article by United Nation on Child Labor in Pakistan published in 2009 through
the international labor organization is the latest edition. Currently, there is no article published in
the recent past to follow up on the situation about child labor in Pakistan.
Relevance: The article provides information about the strides made by the Pakistani government
in curbing child labor and thus has much importance to the preparation of the report. It takes a
look at the survey carried out in 1996 which was the first ever labor survey in Pakistan.
Authority: The article is put together by the international program on the Elimination of Child
Labor (IPEC) which is an affiliation of the International Labor Organization. The article is,
therefore, a product of The United Nations.
Accuracy: The article has concreated information on the convention of child labor held in
Pakistan for instance the Minimum Age Convention in 1973 and the worst Forms of in 1999.
The conventions were organized by the International Labor Organization.
Purpose: The author of the article is keen on passing information on how devastating the
situation of child labor is in Pakistan. The report also addresses the moves it has made towards
tackling the issue of child labor.
Recommendations.
Its noted that the working condition in the clothing factory was clean and the workers including
children were working under the roof. However, the workers should also be provided with the
necessary working tools such as gloves.
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CHILD LABOR IN PAKISTAN
The company should save on its positive reputation as it is a global brand, therefore, it should
engage with the managers at Lahore, Pakistan on the manner to handle the issue of child labor as
well as adhering with the company’s guidelines.
The company should recognize the role played by the children in the plant and admit that there is
a greater disparity between laws in the USA and Pakistan. Therefore, the need to put in place
policies to protect children from this.
The manufacturing industries should develop in-house capacity within their plant that will
facilitate the monitoring of child labor as they can see who is working in the industry.
Conclusion.
Timothy and Thomas Company should ensure their framework and the laws in Pakistan are
implemented that will see the problem of child labor is worked on and always source labor only
from adults, they should provide vital inputs to obtain the desired outcome. Since the social
protection program by the legal institutions and parents alone cannot guarantee the elimination of
child labor completely in Pakistan. (Khan, Munir, & Willmott, 2007).
The local manufacturing industries should build upon positive relations with the local people and
the contractors that will ensure there exist an effective strategy with a smooth implementation
that will address the problem of child labor. This is because the solution to the problem of child
labor must be integrated for it to be actually realized.
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CHILD LABOR IN PAKISTAN
References
Ali, I., Rehman, K. U., Yilmaz, A. K., Nazir, S., & Ali, J. F. (2010). Effects of corporate social
responsibility on consumer retention in the cellular industry of Pakistan. African Journal
of Business Management, 4(4), 475-485.
Khan, F. R., Munir, K. A., & Willmott, H. (2007). A dark side of institutional entrepreneurship:
Soccer balls, child labour, and postcolonial impoverishment. Organization Studies, 28(7),
1055-1077.
Mancini, F., Termorshuizen, A. J., Jiggins, J. L., & van Bruggen, A. H. (2008). Increasing the
environmental and social sustainability of cotton farming through farmer education in
Andhra Pradesh, India. Agricultural Systems, 96(1-3), 16-25.
Mansuri, G. (2006). Migration, school attainment, and child labor: evidence from rural
Pakistan. The World Bank.
Nadvi, K. (1992). Flexible specialization, industrial districts and employment in Pakistan (No.
992888723402676). International Labour Organization.
Rasul, G., & Thapa, G. B. (2004). Sustainability of ecological and conventional agricultural
systems in Bangladesh: an assessment based on environmental, economic and social
perspectives. Agricultural systems, 79(3), 327-351.
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CHILD LABOR IN PAKISTAN
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