Sialkot Declaration
Surgical Instruments Industry-Sialkot
Joint Consensus of the Major Stakeholders

Preamble
All stakeholders (SIMAP, Vendors, Parents, Communities, Children, Government Departments, Trade Unions, NGOs) acknowledge:

Having felt the need to adopt new strategies and measures for eliminating child labor below 14 years of age and regulating child labor between 14-18 years in Sialkot’s Surgical Instruments Industry, in response to international conventions like the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, ILO Convention 182 and ILO Convention 138,

Noting the Government of Pakistan’s National Policy and Plan of Action to Combat Child Labor, the National Child Protection Policy and the Employment of Children Act,

Considering that the effective elimination of the worst forms of child labour requires free basic and quality education, and relevant vocational skill training,

Recognizing that child labour is caused by poverty, lack of economic opportunities and that the long-term solution lies in economic and social development,

Acknowledging that coordinated action by the major stakeholders can be far more effective than isolated efforts to address the child labor problem,

Believing that childhood is entitled to special care, assistance and protection, and that the family should be fully supported in discharging its responsibilities towards children,

We, the stakeholders, adopt The Sialkot Declaration and affirm that we will work in collaboration and with mutual respect to take joint measures for the welfare, protection, and development of our children in Sialkot by thinking of them as our own children…

The Sialkot Declaration
March 2009

Clause 1: For the purposes of the Sialkot Declaration a child means every human being below the age of fourteen years prohibited from employment in any hazardous work as defined by the Employment of Children Act 1991. Adolescents between 14-18 can be employed in less hazardous processes with full awareness and observance of occupational safety and health risks.

Clause 2: In all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by government or private sector, formal or informal, the best interests of the child shall be the over-riding consideration. We undertake to ensure the children all protection and care necessary for their well-being, with reference to duties of their parents/ guardians, teachers, and employers.

Clause 3: We shall ensure to the maximum possible extent the development and welfare of children in a safe and secure environment.

Clause 4: We shall respect the duties of parents or guardians to provide appropriate direction and guidance to children for their welfare and development. The public and private sectors including government departments, employers and civil society acknowledge that the family has the primary responsibility to provide adequate living adequate standards and development opportunities for children.

Clause 5: We recognize the right of working children and their families to benefit from social safety provisions offered under Bait ul Maal, Zakat, Social Welfare Department, micro credit providers or any other public or private institutions. But, we emphasize that provisions under social safety nets particularly those under Zakat should be distributed in a dignified manner without hurting the self respect of recipient families or children.

Clause 6: We shall take appropriate measures to protect working child from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse in any setting whether it is home, school or work place.

Clause 7: We recognize the right of working children to have access to free governmental health care services for the treatment of illness and injuries.

Clause 8: We recognize the right of working children and their younger siblings to education, and skill training. We resolve to make strong efforts to provide linkages to primary and secondary education and skill training to the working children and their siblings, and allow them time off from work to avail these opportunities.

Clause 9: We recognize that children should be protected from economic exploitation and from doing hazardous work that is harmful to their physical/ mental health, moral or social development, or from long working hours that interfere with the child's education or acquiring vocational skills. We affirm that children under 14 years will be discouraged from joining the workshops.

Clause 10: We shall ensure that working children are not physically punished or verbally abused at the working places, and that their protection shall conform with the minimum standards in the areas of safety and health at work places.

Clause 11: We resolve that by 2015, the Sialkot Surgical Industry’s informal sector shall not have a single working child below 14 years of age.

Clause 12: All stakeholders will work in collaboration for preservation of surgical skills and prepare training and apprenticeship programs for children in a way to ensure the availability of skilled labour force in the Surgical Industry of Sialkot.

This Declaration was signed on March 26, 2009 at the SIMAP Office, Sialkot by following Stakeholders:

SIMAP
Dist. Govt. Sialkot
Workers Federation
Teachers
Pvt. Schools Association
Vendors
Children
Elected Representative
Parents
NGO (Sudhaar)

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