Executive Summary
At the Margins of Protection: Child Labor in Pakistan’s Private Sector examines the persistence of child labour within Pakistan’s private-sector economy, particularly in informal sectors and lower levels of supply chains where children remain largely outside formal protection and oversight. The report identifies poverty, limited access to education, weak enforcement of labour laws, fragmented data systems, inadequate labour inspection, and poor coordination between federal and provincial institutions as major factors contributing to child labour. It draws on legal and policy reviews, consultations across Pakistan, and interviews with relevant stakeholders. The report highlights that an estimated 8.6 million children are engaged in child labour in Pakistan and emphasizes the hazardous and hidden nature of much of this work. It calls for a coordinated, systems-based response involving stronger labour inspections, improved data systems, harmonized legal standards, education retention, social protection, livelihood support, and greater accountability of private-sector actors.
