The International Labour Organisation (ILO), in collaboration with the US Department of Labour (USDOL) has organized a training workshop in Lahore today.
The workshop was held under the auspices of the BRIDGE project, an initiative focused on eliminating forced labour and promoting fair labour practices.
The aim of the workshop was to enhance the capacity of journalists in reporting on forced labour and fair recruitment.
National project coordinator at ILO Dr. Faisal Iqbal and renowned journalist Aoun Sahi jointly led the training workshop.
Dr. Faisal Iqbal emphasized the significance of media in addressing the pressing issues of forced labour and fair recruitment. He informed that 11 indicators recognized by the ILO globally to identify forced labour, including abuse of authority, deception, restriction of movement, isolation, physical and sexual violence, intimidation and threats, and retention of identity documents.
He said that forced labour is a criminal offence and a serious violation of fundamental human rights.
He also highlighted the importance of social protection measures by the government to combat forced labour effectively.
On this occasion, Aoun Sahi provided detailed insights into the factors that contribute to forced labour. He explained the importance of the media’s role in addressing issues related to forced labour and recruitment.
He expressed concern over the prevalence of forced labour and bonded labour in Pakistan, with an estimated 2.5 to 3.4 million individuals subjected to such conditions.
He stated that there likelyhood that migrants are channeled into forced labour and recruitment.
He emphasized that reporting on these subjects must be conducted with clarity and thorough research, and that voices from all stakeholders must be included in the story.
Aoun Sahi also shared insights that the costs and profits of forced labour globally amount to a staggering $236 billion.
He emphasized the crucial role of the media in raising public awareness about forced labour and promoting fair recruitment practices.
