Addressing Child Labor in Punjab, Pakistan: An Analysis of Key Socio-economic and Household Factors

Abstract

Child labor is a constant socio-economic problem in Pakistan, and since the province of Punjab is the most populous and economically diverse part of the country, it has some of the highest rates of child labor. The idea behind this study is that child labour in Punjab is multidimensional problem based on the household characteristics, economic constraints and work-related factors. To examine these factors, quantitative approach was used in the study based on the data from Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement survey of Punjab. Kernel Regularized Least Square Machine Learning method was used to study the relationship between child labor and the factors such as poverty, unemployment, parental literacy, hours worked, school enrollment, and availability of basic facilities. The results show that parental literacy, school enrollment and children working hours are the most important determinants, whereas structural poverty is insignificant when education and household conditions are controlled. These findings suggest that improving the education of parents and providing more access to quality schooling, curbing people's working hours, and enhancing adult employment opportunities are critical to reducing child labor in Punjab. The study concludes with policy recommendations emphasizing poverty alleviation programs, conditional cash transfers, parental literacy campaigns, and strict enforcement of labor laws to protect children’s rights and ensure their educational and developmental opportunities.