While some minors are part of begging networks, others are forced into a profession by parents who struggle to make ends meet.
Street artist. Photo: Express
KARACHI:
Child street artists, some as young as eight years old, spend hours at the city’s intersections and traffic lights, their faces and clothes painted gold. To attract the attention of passers-by and earn money for their families or owners, these children stand robot-like, appearing to any empathetic observer as little more than statues of sorrow.
It is believed that most of these children are associated with networks of professional beggars who have been using Karachi’s street children for years, while many others belong to poor families where parents depend on their children for a living. Standing in their clothing for hours at intersections and traffic lights, children are exposed not only to physical and economic exploitation, but also to potential skin risks.
Non-governmental organizations working for children’s rights denounce this forced labor and exploitation, arguing that the government and local authorities should take action against individuals and groups who exploit these children. Sometimes the local government removes these children from certain neighborhoods like Clifton and Defense, but in many other areas of the city, children wearing such clothes still appear at intersections.
Recently, two children wearing the same outfit were seen near Numaish Chowrangi near Mazar-e-Quaid. Aged 10 to 12, the children, a boy and a girl, had their faces and clothes painted gold, and posed like statues. Speaking to The Express PK Press Club, the children revealed that their parents left them there every evening after sunset and they stayed there until midnight.
When asked if the paint caused any skin irritation, the girl nodded, admitting that her skin was irritated at first, but not anymore. When asked if standing for hours caused fatigue or pain, both children shook their heads. “We used to sell flowers at this place. Passers-by would give 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 quickly appeared and ended the interview.
According to social scientist GM Baloch, children wearing this outfit at various intersections in the city appeared well trained. “The authorities should determine whether they are forced to do this work or whether they do it voluntarily. Previously, adults wearing similar clothing, usually artists, performed in major cities around the world, playing instruments or wearing specific costumes, earning money from spectators. However, the use of children for such performances is alarming,” Baloutche stressed. Kashif Mirza, director of the Society for the Protection of Children, said the use of children as street performers constituted both physical and economic exploitation, violating the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) as well as the Sindh Child Protection Act, which required provincial authorities to remove children from these dangerous conditions.
“Authorities must take legal action against those who exploit children. Sindh’s 2017 law prohibiting the employment of children explicitly prohibits placing children in unsafe working 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. Renowned skin specialist Dr Shumail Zia told The Express PK Press Club that paints often contain harmful chemicals such as arsenic and mercury, which are extremely dangerous for the skin. “Prolonged exposure can cause changes in skin color, dark spots and inflammation. The risks are further amplified during the winter months,” said Dr. Zia.
