Pakistan Earthquake Child Labour Response Project (PECLR)

A four-year initiative developed as a response to technically assist the efforts of the Government of Pakistan to address the issue of child labour in affected areas resulting from the devastating earthquake of 8 October 2005 in which a large number of school going children have been left without schools, teachers and teaching supplies.

Objectives

Overall objective of the project is to contribute to the national efforts for the prevention and eventual elimination of child labour in the earthquake affected areas of Pakistan by focusing on the following immediate objectives:

  • Mainstreaming of child labour issues in crisis in policy documents;
  • Capacity building of stakeholders;
  • Provision of education and vocational training to children in worst forms of child labour; and
  • Linkages of children and families with credit facilities and social safety nets.

The PECLR project aims to target a total of 2,500 children (1,250 girls and 1,250 boys) as direct beneficiaries. These would have been either engaged in child labour prior to the project, children who continue to be involved in child labour post earthquake or who are at risk of being engaged in child labour and other exploitative conditions.

Achievements

  • A total of 3,670 children received Non-Formal Education (NFE) in 28 Rehabilitation Centres (RCs) and out of these 2,169 children have been mainstreamed into government schools;
  • All the RCs were run and managed by Committee for Management of Rehabilitation Centres (CMRCs). A total of 28 CMRCs had been formed including female representation;
  • Eight networks on Monitoring of Child Labour (NMLC) at union council level were established;
  • A total of 549 children and 217 mothers received marketable vocational training. As a result 125 families were linked with different social safety nets and business groups in the areas. That is one of the examples of economic sustainability;
  • A total of 125 families of working children were been linked with social safety nets and Micro-Finance Institutes;
  • A report “A need assessment of child labour in Balakot” prepared. The report provided a benchmark data for effective intervention to address the needs of direct beneficiaries;
  • A report “Mainstreaming Child Labour Prevention in Crisis and Disaster Response” prepared. The report will shared with government agencies and other organization working in disaster areas to include child labour concerns in their policy documents;
  • A total of 15 training workshops (550 participants) to enhance the capacity of stakeholders were conducted. The participants were sensitized on child labour issues to take necessary action to eliminate child labour in disaster areas. The group of journalists wrote articles in the local news paper to highlight child labour and suggested action for elimination of child labour; and
  • Training manuals on child labour laws to sensitize law enforcement agencies, public departments and community groups keeping in view the crisis/disaster requirement designed. These manual have been translated into national language that provide guidance to various groups of stakeholders to take measure against child labour.

Significance

The project surpassed its targets in the region with unpredictable weather conditions, rugged terrain, and limited access to the programme areas during monsoon (due to land slides, washed away roads, heavy snowfall etc.). It is the only project of ILO-IPEC working in the Himalayan region. The project was operating in the area, rising from an elevation of 2,134 feet (650 m) to its highest point 13,690 feet (4,170 m). One third of proejct area falls within the high snow fall zone.The project generated good practices especailly, on linkages of families with social safety nets and micro finance institutes.

Relocation of project activities to new geographical location

The project completed its operations in Balakot and is now working in Muzaffarabad, AJK with additional targets. The project plans to continue its activities of provison of literacy education to working children, vocational skills training to working children and mothers and capacity development of key stakeholders.