UNICEF expresses concern about child labour

An estimated 1 million child labourers under 14 are deprived of education, health care and other necessary facilities for human development across Afghanistan, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Monday. “[Some] 25 percent of all children aged between seven and 14 years are involved in various forms of work across the country,” Edward Carwardine, an information officer for UNICEF, said in the Afghan capital Kabul, adding the majority of child labourers were involved in domestic work. UNICEF has expressed its concern that a considerable number of children were involved in heavy and dangerous works, such as construction. “Children should not be involved in dangerous employment. They need to have time to play and access to recreation, physical exercises and playing games, which is a part of human development,” Carwardine explained. Among the children who do paid work, many of them are involved in light agricultural work, mechanical workshops, restaurants, carpet weaving and labouring on building sites. According to officials at the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, the government is working to tackle the problem of child labour in Afghanistan. “We have provided vocational training and literacy programmes to around 38,000 child labourers across the country,” Mohammad Ghaus Bashiri, the deputy minister, said.