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Shaniera Akram is 'infuriated' by families who keep children as domestic staff

Shaniera Akram is 'infuriated' by families who keep children as domestic staff

The activist wrote an impassioned message on Instagram Stories, advocating against the practice of hiring children as house help.
24 Dec, 2021

Activist Shaniera Akram does NOT support the troublesome practice of hiring children as domestic help in Pakistan. In a long message written on her Instagram Stories, Akram said nothing "infuriates" her more than "a family who has children working as their domestic staff" and the usual reasons given to justify the act are "absolute rubbish".

Akram's telling off was triggered by a reported incident of assault on an eight-year-old domestic worker by a family in Gujranwala. "This is just another level!" Akram commented on the report. "The child should not have been there in the first place!"

The activist went on to express more of her thoughts on the issue. "Nothing infuriates me more than a family who has children working as their domestic staff!" she said. " I do not [care about] what your excuse is. Children should not be serving you! If you really care for the child, send them to school, not work!

"[D]on't give me the pathetic excuse that the child is earning money for his/her family, or if he/she wasn't working for you then they would be on the street! Absolute rubbish! You are the enabler. You are the one breaking the law. You are the embarrassment of a human that is so incredibly lazy and cheap that you need a child to serve you!" she said.

Akram reminded everyone how it doesn't hurt to hire adults as help, neither does it hurt to do your own housework. "If you are that desperate for staff but are not willing to pay an adult then get off your butt and do your own bloody housework!" she said.

"If you really care for that child then show it. Provide a safe home for them, basic schooling but most importantly, help them learn a trade!" Akram pointed out.

"By helping them learn a trade, you are setting them up for a life. You are giving a gift that keeps on giving. [B]ecause of you their children will probably have a normal, happy childhood and be in school where they belong.

According to the activist, "learning a trade is one of the most valuable forms of education for our youth in Pakistan today".

"If we — the people — work hard together to create a better future , then one day our problems now will be problems of the past!

At the end Akram thanked "the beautiful, amazing, generous Pakistanis" who "do good every day for the people of this country". "I salute you," she added.

Hiring a child for domestic help is common across Pakistan but still not right. Many people prefer to employ children because they provide cheaper labour, can be controlled and more easily threatened, consume fewer resources, and are more active and require less space — all terrible reasons to hire someone to help out.

We're going to side with Akram here — the practice of keeping children as domestic staff is dehumanising and robs them of the childhood they deserve. Let's intervene where we can and help children get the education and support they need to prosper ahead in life, either through own our efforts or by referring their case to a philanthropist or an NGO. Child labour is not okay.

Comments

Rami Dec 24, 2021 05:27pm
Only two Pakistani are consider children are middle age Marryum nawaz Pmln and adult male Bilwal Zardari ppp, in Pakistan news media ! No child servants this is 2021, if you can feed them why you have children ?
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Dr Salaria Ahmed Part II Dec 24, 2021 05:30pm
She should be more infuriated at her husband for the corruption he did and got away with it.
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Chrís Dăn Dec 24, 2021 05:46pm
Ms.Akram needs to know each affluent family women in Pakistan are dependent upon under age servants to take care of their kids/grand kids and yes they depend on servants for cooking,cleaning,ironing. Oh we do not do anything. My mother lived on servants . I live on them. I have no time. I have to attend a saminar on human rights. I have to deliver a speech in saminar- how I can have time to look after family? Are you k8dding? My old servantś grand daughter cuts onions in my kitchen and helps my cook. Another daughter of my gardener irons my clothes as I am always in a hurry. Doesn't Ms.Akram know,I am a human rights woman preacher in Pakistan
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Ch. S Dec 24, 2021 05:50pm
Next up: Shaniera Akram is 'infuriated' by the fact that Carbon Dioxide has two Oxygen molecules.
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Riaz Khimany Dec 24, 2021 05:57pm
Absolutely agreed. Child labour is a big problem in Pakistan. We should support these kids by sending them to school, not by putting them to work. Shehzad Roy is doing the right thing by paying the parents of such kids, so they can send these kids to school. Let's change the mentality of everyone in Pakistan - one at a time, by changing ourselves.
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Aamir Dec 24, 2021 06:03pm
In fact, she should demand from the British government to return the looted wealth of Pakistanis lying in British banks so that the condition of the poor people can be improved
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Khurram Ali Dec 24, 2021 06:22pm
She is absolutely correct. Young children belong in school and not in homes as household help.
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Nads Dec 24, 2021 06:45pm
She is absolutely right. All the lazy people who employ someone poorer child to do their work should be doing it themself and help poor children get education rather than exploiting them.
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Raheel Dec 24, 2021 06:57pm
Shaniera Akram is absolutely right. Anyone employing a child servant is a child abuser and responsible for that child not receiving education.
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Jamil Soomro, New York City Dec 24, 2021 07:01pm
In a country where children work as domestic servants confirms that the country is poverty stricken poor country. Doesn't Shaniera know that she is living in a poor country.?
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Allan Dec 24, 2021 07:09pm
Totally agree. There is a saying don’t give a beggar food but rather teach him to fish and he will never go hungry again. Unfortunately in Pakistan child labour is so deeply imbedded that people don’t realize that it is child labour. Pakistan does need a wake up call. Glad someone is standing on the right side shouting at the other other side. About time.
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Sayyar Khan Dec 24, 2021 07:36pm
@Chrís Dăn it’s Seminar not Saminar
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Sayyar Khan Dec 24, 2021 07:38pm
@Aamir she is Australian not British
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Jaws Dec 24, 2021 07:52pm
Awesome woman ... beautiful, loyal and with a crystal clean heart! Wasim is a luck man. May the two of you stay blessed together!
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zarmina Dec 24, 2021 07:58pm
here comes our national farangi, satrangi bhabi imposing her foreign thoughts on our people. Employment of children is an issue connected to a larger issue of poverty. It is a systemic issue that needs to be addressed. But she doesn't need to tell us that....we know!!
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Zulfiqar Dec 24, 2021 07:59pm
Most pakistanis are lazy and act privileged. Devoid of personal work ethic. Only interested in doing things that make money. The few Pakistanis that break this mindset go on to become world beaters
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Zahid Hussain Dec 24, 2021 08:06pm
Support an orphan through your charity organizations. It only costs $1/day which covers the school fees, food, clothes, and health.
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Alal Dec 24, 2021 08:41pm
She is right but there was a reason why the British left those people in Australia. This woman proves it. Just be quiet and live a regular life miss goree
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Phaja Milka Dec 24, 2021 08:46pm
She should stand for PM will do better then the other guy.
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Fast comment Dec 24, 2021 09:01pm
@Dr Salaria Ahmed Part II . Please no personal attacks.
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M. Saeed Dec 24, 2021 09:37pm
She should know that, poor are forced to have more children for being extra and easy source of earning through them, either as beggars or, domestic helps.
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AK Dec 24, 2021 09:38pm
How many servants does she have? It is unfortunate that children have to work but it is out of necessity not choice. Don't preach to us, tell us something we don't know.
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Tuk Dec 24, 2021 09:41pm
Pakistanis criticizing her for saying this obvious truth understood all over the world, tells our state of mind.
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Naseer Dec 24, 2021 10:57pm
Highlighting issues we already know isn't the game Shaneria. Make me accept my mistakes is much bigger number. We either learn from our mistakes or we can chose to learn from others mistakes.
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Rehana Bounse Dec 24, 2021 11:18pm
@Alal why to be quiet. If you have a microphone or a medium speak up the injustices .
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Rehana Bounse Dec 24, 2021 11:19pm
@M. Saeed you know better! Do the right thing
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Rehana Bounse Dec 24, 2021 11:20pm
@AK she’s not preaching man!
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Life Dec 24, 2021 11:21pm
Madam Shania is Waseem Akram’s wife and that’s the only reason we have to listen her drawing room lectures all the time.
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Rehana Bounse Dec 24, 2021 11:38pm
@Naseer so how do you do that?
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Rehana Bounse Dec 24, 2021 11:39pm
@Naseer stop that! She’s highlighting something important please don’t change the subject!
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Rizwan Khalid Dec 24, 2021 11:42pm
100% agree with Mrs. Akram. It has always bothered me to see children working in some of my relatives/Friends houses. I have an 8 year old daughter myself and it breaks my heart to see children of same age working when they should be playing and going to school.
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Irfan Huq Dec 24, 2021 11:45pm
@Nads We are lazy people we don't want to move our finger even. We can't stand on 2 legs straight we have to have support of one leg or the other leg or something around us.we don't know how to sit properly in a chair look at the PM. We are lazy people culturally. We need help for every little thing and can't do anything ourselves.
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Imran Dec 24, 2021 11:47pm
@zarmina if you know then what are you doing to eradicate this evil from Pakostani society?
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Nasir Dec 25, 2021 12:52am
@Chrís Dăn ...you should be ashamed of yourself.
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Oscar Dec 25, 2021 01:03am
@Dr Salaria Ahmed Part II - that’s quite an uncouth remark from someone with a title Dr. Perhaps the nation will eventually flourish when we move away from such petty mentality. The issue raised by Shaniera is mutually exclusive to her husband’s past (alleged) corruption. Such a shame that a (supposedly) educated person like you can’t see that and instead of addressing the issue in question chooses to vent his own bigotry and misogyny while hiding behind a keyboard.
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Oscar Dec 25, 2021 01:07am
@AK necessity???? How is that a necessity? The rest of the western word works and does their own house chores where as us Pakistanis think it is a necessity???? Please explain why is it a necessity? Other than the fact that you are one of the bigots and lathargic self-indulgent pathetic compatriots dragging us all down.
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Jawaid Kamal Dec 25, 2021 01:31am
This nice lady even can’t applause from your readers across the board. It says it all.
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J Dec 25, 2021 01:56am
@Dr Salaria Ahmed Part II ...grow up. What she is saying is absolutely correct. Not sure why you need to bring some other rubbish and downplay actual issue?
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J Dec 25, 2021 01:59am
@zarmina you know and you still do it? Nice!
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Shahzad Arif Dec 25, 2021 02:00am
Unfortunately Shaniera being a western doesn't realise that in Pakistan having a servant is seeing as a status symbol despite that servant being a very young child. Wouldn't it be amazing if these 'affluent/proud/lazy families' had adults serving them and they were paying for servant kids to go to school? That's a wishful thinking in a very selfish society!
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HashBrown® Dec 25, 2021 02:34am
@zarmina "here comes our national farangi, satrangi bhabi imposing her foreign thoughts on our people." That's right, don't get angry at the news of an 8yr old girl being beaten to death in our country - instead get angry at the person who highlighted it. And when you've buried your head deep enough in the sand, perhaps your racial inferiority complex will be cured as well, who knows.
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Shamoon Dec 25, 2021 03:40am
Buy this is our culture Gori Aunty.
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Imran Dec 25, 2021 04:08am
@Chrís Dăn in other words you have no time so child labor is fine!!
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Meh Dec 25, 2021 04:18am
Latest trend in Pakistan these days : employ children of your domestic staff to look after your own kids. Even housewives are doing that!
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Bilal Dec 25, 2021 04:38am
@AK disgusting and shameless of you to justify child abuse in the form of domestic help
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Ashraf Sayeed Dec 25, 2021 04:59am
Absolutely RIGHT.
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ST Dec 25, 2021 05:09am
Why she just sees faults and mistakes in Pakistanis? Why not some good traits as well? I wonder
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Imran Dec 25, 2021 05:19am
Wish she had the same outrage how Australians chained aborigines like animals until quite recently
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Multani Dec 25, 2021 07:01am
She is correct, little girls should be in schools , not being servants.
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Sidc Dec 25, 2021 07:13am
This ugly practice can only tackle by family planning. Parents and family of child are bigger culprits than people who employed these children.
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Hakim Dec 25, 2021 07:18am
Sie is right. Thank you for using your influence for a noble cause. I hope more and more people join this idea. We need a critical and loud mass to eradicate this menace and make a change.
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Hakim Dec 25, 2021 07:24am
@zarmina Why care who is the messenger? Isn't the message more important?
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Ahsan Gul Dec 25, 2021 07:29am
She is totally right. How dare anybody criticize her being so accurate and right. About this disguised child slavery? We Pakistani are bunch of hypocrites and when being Pointed out our faults then we go against. How people having children hire servants or help their Own children age? Thank you lady for making this issue our national one? Sincerely
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Ahsan Gul Dec 25, 2021 07:30am
@AK you are totally being defensive and rude! Sincerely
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Ahsan Gul Dec 25, 2021 07:32am
@M. Saeed what an asinine execuse! What gives you the right to be born in rich family? Shame on your thinking……
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Pak Pashtun Dec 25, 2021 10:23am
Our society is still backwards like Europe was 100 years ago.... This is nothing, Shaneria should visit Sindh and see how Sindhi waderas treat poor Harris as slaves ... Grown and children. I totally agree with her, do not hire children, instead state should take away such children from parents and put them in foster homes and send them to schools but this system too has failed in the west
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Pak Pashtun Dec 25, 2021 10:26am
USA, Britain and Europe was built on slavery
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Memon Abdul Dec 25, 2021 10:40am
And who says that this particular "activist" really has to care? She is just using the social media to enlarge her profile. Every now and then she dose this. I would suggest we all start to ignore this particular brand of keyboard "activism". It's the same as keyboard revolutionaries and video game addicts... Just ignore them...
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Great idea Dec 25, 2021 11:18am
Wow that's a new concept.. Where she been
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JS Dec 25, 2021 01:01pm
She makes good posts but I don't understand why this news is tagged under Celebrity. Regular people posting on social media are celebrities?
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Chrís Dăn Dec 25, 2021 02:24pm
@ST do we have any? Enlighten me.
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Chrís Dăn Dec 25, 2021 02:26pm
@Life westerns do not have drawing rooms. They have funtional living rooms .
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AK Dec 25, 2021 02:40pm
No one becomes a servant willingly, it is out of necessity and lack of alternatives. Education is not necassarily the answer unless one has the opportunity to go along with it. There are many doing meanial jobs with graduate degrees due to lack of opportunities. Stop preaching. Does she have servants....
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Zara Dec 25, 2021 05:58pm
@Dr Salaria Ahmed Part II true bogan yelling in Pakistanshe nothing in aus .
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AGHA PASHA Dec 25, 2021 06:01pm
@Sayyar Khan Australia is still under control of Great Britain
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Kaiser Bengali Dec 25, 2021 07:37pm
Commend Ms Shaniera Akram's initiative. All restaurants must be lobbied to deny tables to any group that arrives with a child servant. And restaurants must carry a notice at the entrance saying those with child servants are not allowed.
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Mahmood ayaz Dec 25, 2021 07:46pm
Absolutely cracked it.... We need more of these voices to change perceptions in our society
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Mahmood ayaz Dec 25, 2021 07:50pm
@Chrís Dăn then Ur an absolute loser with a label of human rights activist ,Ur a pathetic human being
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Mohamnad Dec 25, 2021 08:51pm
@Chrís Dăn ....British left but left their legacy behind.. affluent families own Pakistan..they are the rulers ..are we free from slavery .. nope..why ..bayhiss ..insensitive ..numb..no empathy of any kind..
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Rahi Meer Dec 25, 2021 10:12pm
Agreed ..children should not be employed ..Agreed they become victims..but I believe you are an Australian..what did you do as an activist in your own country for Aboriginees..you took away their lands their homes,you messed up their beliefs and then you camped them...Do you have any rights to lecture on human rights!
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Fareed N Dec 25, 2021 11:02pm
Shaniera Akram - an imported soothsayer, an oracle as if we did not have those filling the seats on dime a dozen Tv talk shows,
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AK Dec 26, 2021 01:03am
Malik Riaz used to be a tea boy supporting his widowed mother. Now he is one of the richest men in the country. Life is about working hard and being ready for the opportunity when it comes your way.
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Rehana Bounse Dec 26, 2021 06:03pm
@Rahi Meer maybe she did something. How do you know she didn’t do anything
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Sane Mind1st Dec 27, 2021 04:14pm
These high profile wives have nothing better to do than comment on Child labor, CO2 Emission, Pollution, Cakes, Dresses, Fashion. Pathetic isnt' it?
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