Boys Scouts Association Islamabad organized an event at Islamabad Scouts Headquarters to launch child labour badge on the other day.
Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Youth Affir Ms. Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Country Director for ILO Office Pakistan Geir Thomas Tonstoel who specially attended the badge unveiling ceremony on the request of Sarfraz Qamar Daha, Chief Commissioner, Pakistan Boy Scouts Association.
Speaking on this occasion, the chief guest Shaza Fatima said that every child has the right to survive, security, development, protection and participation under the International Convention on the Rights of the Child.
However, child laborers are not only deprived of many rights of life and education, but it is harmful for their health, safety, development and better future. Under the Constitution of Pakistan and labor laws, employment/labor of children under the age of fourteen is a non-punishable offence, she added.
She further said, “I congratulate Pakistan Boy Scouts Association and ILO for working together on this important issue and said that the Government of Pakistan will provide all possible support to overcome this issue.” Chief Commissioner Pakistan Boy Scouts Association Sarfraz Qamar Daha while addressing the event said that International Labor Organization and Pakistan Boy Scouts Association have started a joint effort for this noble cause. Under which scout leaders will be trained to work with scouts in their educational institutions, workshop owners, children and their parents in their surrounding areas about the dangers of this work and the importance of education for children and communicate the benefits, he added.
Emphasizing the importance of this campaign, he said that this was the first training of the series which is ending today while two more trainings will be held soon in Lahore and Karachi and I hope that it will be held across Pakistan and more than seven lakh scouts will actively participate in this campaign.
Etrat Naqvi Syed, Deputy International Commissioner, Ms. Rubab Khan, Director Resource Development, Mr. Liaqat Ali Awan, Director Adult Training, Ms. TamanaBanori, Consultant, PBSA, Mr. Muhammad Tauseef Siddiqui, and Ms. Munawar Sultana, Special Representative for ILO were present in the event.
Earlier, upon arrival at National Headquarters Pakistan Boy Scouts Association, Boys and Girls Scouts along with Scout Officials welcomed the guests and presented a bouquet of flowers.
