Last Change:
04/30/2025
Balochistan Employment of Children (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 2021
Year: 2021
Type: Domestic law
Rights Category: Liberty & security of person, Work & Workplace rights
Description
An Act to prohibit and regulate the employment of children to eliminate child abuse in the province in keeping with the provisions as contained in the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan and ILO Conventions concerning admissible age for employment and worst forms of child labour.
Whereas in pursuance of 18th Constitutional Amendment it is expedient to re-enact the existing law as per the requirement and circumstances of the Balochistan Province. It is therefore imperative to eradicate child labour from the province by this Act of the provincial legislature aiming to prohibit and regulate the employment of children in keeping with the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan and ILO Conventions concerning admissible age for employment and worst forms of child labour
Selected provisions
(1) No person below the age of 18 years shall be employed or permitted to work in any hazardous occupations and in any of forms of labour that are of the worst kind in nature, that is to say-
(a) Work which exposes him to physical, psychological or sexual abuse;
(b) Work underground, under water, at dangerous heights or in confined spaces;
(c) Work which is inherently dangerous in nature, involves dangerous machinery, equipment and tools, or which involves the manual handling or transport of heavy loads;
(d) Work in an unhealthy environment which may, for example, involve exposure to hazardous substances, agents or processes, or to temperatures, noise levels, or vibrations damaging to their health;
(e) Work under particularly difficult conditions such as work for long hours or during the night or work where such person is unreasonably confined to the premises of the employer; and
(f) Work which is connected to or involves illegal practices, in particular the production and trafficking of illegal substances.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of sub-section (1), no child or adolescent shall be employed or permitted to work in any of the occupations set forth in Part I of the Schedule or in any workshop wherein any of the processes set forth in Part II of that Schedule is carried on:
(3) No child of prohibited age under this Act shall be involved in employment, whether paid or unpaid or economic activity.
(4) without prejudice to sub-section (3), children may engage in-
(a) light work outside of regular school hours which does not impact on the child's health or ability to fully benefit from education and which supports their intellectual growth and development: or
(b) work as part of vocational training where the school and programme of training has been approved and inspected by the Committee on child labour:
Provided that nothing in this section shall apply to any establishment wherein such process is carried on by the occupier with the help of his family or to any school established, assisted or recognized by Government