Child Labour and the Denial of Education, Health, and Protection Rights: A Rights-Based Social Work Analysis of Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

Millions of children in Punjab, Pakistan take part in different types of exploitative labour and therefore they are deprived of fundamental rights in form of protection, health care and education. Child labour has been a persistent issue and a major challenge in this region. The pervasive socioeconomic inequality in the region, weak enforcement of child protection regulations, and poverty are all the causes of denying children their rights despite national and other international legal systems. This study will analyze the relationship between child labour and deprivation of basic rights in Punjab through the social work approach that adopts a rights-based approach. The research gives an extensive analysis of the plight of child labourers and the role of social work in solving the problems. It also discusses the consequences of child work on the health, safety and education level of children. This study evaluates the health risks, education barriers, and effectiveness of social work interventions through a quantitative research design to include surveys of child labourers, family members, and the community stakeholders. Those findings reveal that health outcomes and educational attainment differ significantly between child labourers and non-labourers with child labourers exhibiting worse physical and mental health problems. The research further indicates that the rights based social work theory enhances the effectiveness of interventions to a significant extent, improving access to protection, health care as well as education. The report proposes changes to institutions, stronger legislative safeguards and targeted social work responses to protect children rights in Punjab. It promotes an adoption of rights-based paradigm in social work practice and policy-making to prevent child labour and safeguard the well-being of all the local children.