THE CONSEQUENCES OF CHILD LABOR IN AUTO WORKSHOPS: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY ON CHILDREN’S WELL-BEING AND DEVELOPMENT IN PAKISTAN’S TWIN CITIES/

Abstract

Child abuse among working children is a critical yet underexplored issue in Pakistan, particularly in the context of those employed in high-risk environments such as automobile workshops. This study addresses the intersection of child labor and abuse, focusing specifically on children aged 8 to 14 working in auto shops in Pakistan’s urban areas, like Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The study explores the occurrence and response of physical, verbal, and psychological abuse faced by young workers, despite legislative frameworks. It highlights the long-term consequences for their cognitive and emotional well-being. Despite extensive research on child labor, there is a significant gap in understanding how these children cope with and respond to abuse, highlighting the need for further research on these issues. To address these gaps, this study employs a qualitative, empirical research methodology, focusing on the lived experiences of the children themselves. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with child laborers in various automobile workshops, providing a rich, detailed account of their daily lives and the challenges they face. The sampling techniques used include purposive, snowball, and convenience sampling, ensuring a diverse and representative sample of working children. This approach allows for an in-depth exploration of the nuances of how these children experience and cope with abuse. The data were then analyzed using thematic analysis, a method well suited to identifying patterns and themes within qualitative data. The study shows child laborers in worse conditions at auto workshops. For its part, children describe being exposed to all sorts of violence: getting physically assaulted via beatings; and hearing verbal insults alongside psychological threats. The study also points out the irony of legal oversight in places such as sector G-10 and Islamabad where proximity to judicial ix institutions does not correspond with greater protection for working children. This paradox highlights the imperative of ensuring better implementation of extant child protection laws. This indicates that existing legal tools are deficient in both coverage and enforcement. Such would provide urgency for stronger regulatory intimate to obviate child labor and shield children from exploitation. In conclusion, this study contributes to the broader discourse on child labor by showing the critical issue of child abuse among working children and its profound impact on their development. The findings underscore the necessity of a comprehensive approach to child labor interventions, one that not only seeks to eliminate the practice but also addresses the deep psychological scars left by abuse. Ensuring the well-being and development of Pakistan's children requires informed, multifaceted efforts that consider both the immediate and long-term effects of child labor and abuse. highlights the imperative of ensuring better implementation of extant child protection laws. This indicates that existing legal tools are deficient in both coverage and enforcement. Such would provide urgency for stronger regulatory intimate to obviate child labor and shield children from exploitation. In conclusion, this study contributes to the broader discourse on child labor by showing the critical issue of child abuse among working children and its profound impact on their development. The findings underscore the necessity of a comprehensive approach to child labor interventions, one that not only seeks to eliminate the practice but also addresses the deep psychological scars left by abuse. Ensuring the well-being and development of Pakistan's children requires informed, multifaceted efforts that consider both the immediate and long-term effects of child labor and abuse.