While some minors are part of begging networks, others are forced into professions by parents struggling to make ends meet
Street artist. Photo: Express
KARACHI:
Child street performers, some as young as eight, spend hours at city intersections and traffic signals with their faces and clothes painted gold. To catch the attention of passers-by and earn money for their families or drivers, these children stand motionless robots, appearing to any empathetic observer as little more than statues of sorrow.
Reportedly, most of these children are connected to professional begging networks that have used children on Karachi’s streets for years, while many others belong to poor families where parents depend on their children for a living. When the children stand in their clothes for hours at intersections and signals, the children are not only exposed to physical and financial exploitation, but also to potential skin hazards.
Non-governmental organizations working for children’s rights consider this forced labor and exploitation and argue that the government and local authorities should take action against individuals and groups that exploit these children. Occasionally, the local administration removes these children from certain areas such as Clifton and Defence, but in many other parts of the city, children in such attire still appear at intersections.
Recently, two children in the same attire were seen near Numaish Chowrangi, close to Mazar-e-Quaid. Aged 10 to 12, the children, a boy and a girl, had their faces and clothes painted gold as they posed as statues. Speaking to The Express Pakinomist, the children revealed that their parents left them at the spot every evening after sunset and they stayed there till midnight.
When asked if the paint caused skin irritation, the girl nodded and admitted that her skin felt irritated at first, but not anymore. When asked if standing for hours caused fatigue or pain, both children shook their heads. “In the past, we used to sell flowers at this place. Passersby gave us money after seeing us in this costume, but we don’t know how much we can earn daily because the money goes directly to our father,” said the children, whose father soon appeared and ended the interview.
According to social scientist GM Baloch, children in this attire at various city junctions appeared well-trained. “The authorities should decide whether they are forced to do this work or do it voluntarily. In the past, adults in similar attire, typically artists, performed in major cities around the world, playing instruments or standing in certain costumes and earning money from spectators. However, it is alarming to use children for such performances,” Baloch stressed. Kashif Mirza, head of the Society for Protection of Children, believed that the use of children as street performers amounted to both physical and economic exploitation, violating the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) along with the Sindh Child Protection Act, which required provincial authorities to remove children from such dangerous conditions.
“Authorities must take legal action against those who exploit children. The Sindh Prohibition of Employment of Children Act 2017 explicitly prohibits putting children in hazardous work environments or using them for begging or similar activities. At the federal level, several laws also exist to legally protect children,” Mirza said.
Standing for hours with body paint can also pose serious skin risks. The well-known skin specialist Dr. Shumail Zia told The Express Pakinomist that paints often contain harmful chemicals like arsenic and mercury, which were extremely dangerous for the skin. “Prolonged exposure can cause changes in skin color, dark spots and inflammation. The risks are further amplified in the winter months,” said Dr. Zia.
