Every fourth household in Islamabad employs a child as a domestic worker despite the existence of a law against child domestic labor in the federal capital, according to the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child.
The claim was made by SPARC Executive Director Asiya Arif during an event held in collaboration with the National Commission on the Rights of the Child to mark World Day Against Child Labor 2026.
She said Islamabad has had legislation on child domestic labor since 2020, but its implementation remains weak. She urged authorities and society at large to take collective action against child labor, not just in homes but also in supply chains, hotels, auto workshops, brick kilns, and other sectors where children remain vulnerable to exploitation.
Arif also highlighted the wider education crisis linked to child labor, noting that 26.2 million children in Pakistan are out of school, according to the Federal Ministry of Education.
She stressed that stronger enforcement, wider social protection, and better access to quality education were necessary to tackle the problem in line with the Constitution and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Speakers at the event said child labor cannot be eliminated through laws alone unless the country also addresses poverty, poor access to schooling, and weak protection systems.
Members of parliament and child rights advocates called for stricter implementation of existing laws, stronger monitoring, and greater political commitment to protect vulnerable children.
Children who attended the event shared their own experiences and said many working children are forced to earn during the day and attend school in the evening. They called on the state and all stakeholders to ensure children are protected from exploitation and given equal opportunities in education and development.
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