The hands that are meant to hold firm pen, at the earliest stages of their lives and carve line that determine their destiny, are shun in negation and laxity. Large number of children is passing through the worst of physical work –their childhood is categorically snatched amidst the silence of humanitarian organizations. The contemporary society could eliminate the ills of slavery but not enslavement of children. The world over is beating the trumpet about improving condition of children lives being facilitated with preliminary requisites is deniably false claim. Nonetheless, hitherto dramatic change is yet to be witnessed. The children in most part of the world particularly in underdeveloped countries are bearing the brunt of hardship, labor work. 

Child labor includes working children who are below a certain minimum age. This practice has been going on since long and is one of the worst forms of child exploitation. The decision to send children to work is influenced by a combination of factors. Poverty is an obvious contextual factor that dominates the decision-making of all households in the study.    

Child labor is an issue of growing concern in Afghanistan. Child labor includes working children who are below a certain minimum age. This practice is going on since long and is one of the worst forms of child exploitation. According to recent estimates, one in four Afghan children aged seven to 14 is engaged in some form of work. The data explores the factors that influence decision-making at the household level. The decision to send children to work is influenced by a combination of factors. Poverty is an obvious contextual factor that dominates the decision-making of all households in the study. In addition, household composition and gender norms affect the availability of labour resources, which can result in the need to send children to work.              

Following through statistics of child labor is found to be at its peak. According to Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC), up to 40,000 children in the southern provinces of Kandahar and Helmand are said to be involved in harsh physical labor. According to experts and local residents, the economic struggles and the worsening security situation are behind the new trend. Afghanistan is a harsh place to grow up for many children. In addition to the uncertainty and upheavals resulting from insecurity a political instability, the underdeveloped economy means many are deprived of schooling and forced to work low-wage jobs at an early age.

Previously the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, Martyrs and Disabled (MoLSMD) reported that human struggles transfer Afghan children abroad through illegal means and many of these children are abused by the mafia and smugglers on the routs toward the foreign countries. According to the Ministry of labor and social affairs, last year 259 cases of smuggling were registered during the last years, which said that the trend is growing and is strongly threatened the Afghan children.

Eliminating child labor is one of the biggest challenges from the upcoming government that needs immediate attention. Child labor not only causes damage to a child’s physical and mental health, but also keep him deprive of his basic rights to education, development and freedom. Keeping the gravity of problems in consideration the government of Afghanistan must take immediate steps for alleviating the child labor on war footing.

Child labor victims in Afghanistan mostly work in illegal remote mines and other sources for at least 12 hours a day since mining a major source of income for poor families, they then force their children into it for money, food and other basic commodities. Child labor is most concentrated in Asia and Africa, which together account for more than 90 percent of total child employment. Though there are more child workers in Asia than anywhere else, a higher percentage of African children participate in the labor force.

According to statistics provided by UNICEF, there are an estimated 250 million children aged 5 to 14 years employed in child labor worldwide and this figure is continuously increasing. Child labor in Asia accounts for the highest percentage (61%) followed by Africa (32%). According to International Labor Organization (ILO), if child labor will be banned and all children get proper education, world’s total income would be raised by nearly 22% over 20 years, which accounts for more than $4 trillion. Banning child labor will help in boosting the economy of a country.

The findings were drawn from interviews with 33 poor households in both urban and rural settings Kabul province, including Kabul city and a urban community in Paghman; Herat province, including Herat city and a community near the Islam Qala border with Iran; and a rural village in Badakhshan province. In addition, researchers consulted stakeholders from the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, and Martyrs and Disabled (MoLSAMD), national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and United Nations agencies in developing policy and program recommendations.

Child labor not only causes damage to a child’s physical and mental health but also keep him deprive of his basic rights to education, development and freedom. Learning the aforementioned statistics, the government of Afghanistan must take immediate steps for alleviating the child labor on war footing. It can be done only when a state inclines to welfare of its citizens making freedom, education and basic health at door step of masses.