Executive Summary
The National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) report, Unveiling Exploitation and Abuse in the Brick Kilns of Punjab, examines the continued use of bonded labour in Punjab’s brick-kiln industry. It documents debt bondage, extremely low wages, lack of written contracts and social protection, unsafe working conditions, poor housing and sanitation, and serious abuses against workers. Women face additional risks including sexual harassment, forced marriage, and gender-based violence, while children are also affected by the cycle of bonded labour. The study draws on research in Faisalabad and Kasur, including surveys of 200 workers and interviews with victims. It identifies weak enforcement of labour laws, particularly ineffective District Vigilance Committees, as a major reason bonded labour persists. NCHR recommends stronger labour inspections and enforcement, gender-sensitive monitoring, better social protection, rehabilitation for rescued workers, improved complaint systems, and more ethical and transparent brick-kiln supply chains.
