Lahore: Provincial Minister for labor and HR Raja Ashfaq Sarwar has lauded the UNICEF for its assistance of Rs50 million to eliminate child labor through its collaboration in Provincial Child Labor Survey, conducted by Punjab Labor & HR Department with a total ADP project cost of Rs140.187 million. The survey conducted at the household and grass root level will be completed till May 2017.
The minister lauded the UNICEF during a meeting with Chief Child Protection UNICEF Pakistan Sarah Coleman, Child Protection Specialist UNICEF Pakistan Sohail Abbas, representative of UNICEF Lahore Chapter Dr. Noman Ghani, MPA Saira Iftikhar, Secretary Labor Ali Sarfraz, Project Focal Person Wahid Arshad, Dr. Javed Gill and other officers, says a press release issued today.
The meeting was informed that previously child labor survey was conducted in 1996; however a huge increase in the number of industrial and commercial units has been observed, during last few years which required an updated, authentic and credible survey regarding accurate facts and figures about child labor occurring in the province. Therefore, Punjab Government decided to initiate a provincial level survey with the partnership of Board of Statistics, measuring exact figures of child labor which will help to curb this menace from the society with concrete efforts of all the stakeholders.
Coleman said that UNICEF will provide all possible financial as well as technical assistance to Punjab Government to eliminate Child Labor. She lauded the efforts of Punjab Government for its different projects initiated to eliminate all forms of Child Labor, particularly appreciating the Integrated Project to Eliminate Child & Bonded Labour from the province worth Rs. 5.2billion.
Sarwar informed UNICEF representatives regarding different programs of Labour Department including a Rs. 180.832 million project to eliminate worst form of Child Labour, successfully continue in Jehlum, Layyah, Jhang and Chakwal to educate poor children, enabling them to get skill training and proper jobs hereafter.