Child Rights Action Hub Launching in Pakistan’s Leather & Textile Sector

On 25 September 2025, the Child Rights Action Hub will be launched in Karachi, Pakistan, funded by the European Union and implemented by local NGO SPARC in collaboration with The Centre for Child Rights and Business. This will be the first of two Child Rights Action Hubs launched in the country, with a second similar initiative launching in Multan in October.

This launch builds on a proven model: The Centre already operates successful Child Rights Action Hubs in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malaysia and Bangladesh. These Action Hubs have shown that when businesses, civil society and government actors come together, they can lay the foundations for long-term, sustainable systems that prevent and remediate child labour and give youth access to decent jobs in complex supply chains.

Why Pakistan Needs an Action Hub

Pakistan’s leather and textile sector, which provides over 40% of industrial jobs, is also a high-risk area for child and human rights violations.

• Child labour is widespread, with children working in hazardous, exploitative conditions.

• Forced labour persists in informal supply chains, where coercion and abuse are common.

• Lack of visibility in lower-tier production makes it difficult for brands to ensure their supply chains are free from rights abuses.

• Lack of opportunities for youth who’ve reached the legal minimum working age to access decent, safe and age-appropriate jobs.

The Action Hub aims to change this by building capacity, strengthening accountability, and creating the linkages needed to protect children, youth and workers while supporting businesses to meet human rights due diligence requirements.

What the Action Hub Will Deliver

The Pakistan Hub will focus on:

• Building systems: Training factories and lower-tier suppliers to strengthen child rights protections.

• Increasing accountability: Creating dialogue between business, civil society and government.

• Remediation and grievance mechanisms: Supporting case management for child labour and linking suppliers with protection services.

• Prevention: Expanding access to decent work for young workers and strengthening vocational training pathways.

For businesses, this means reduced child labour risks, stronger supplier engagement, and better visibility in challenging upstream contexts. For workers and families, it means safer jobs, education opportunities, and greater protection from exploitation.

Targeting High-Risk Supply Chains, Including the Informal Sector

Child Rights Action Hubs are designed to target high-risk, informal supply chain contexts that are otherwise difficult for companies to address alone. By pooling resources and working collectively, businesses can drive systemic change while ensuring their investments benefit the wider communities their supply chains rely on.

How to Get Involved

 Brands can begin engaging by:

• Investing in the Action Hub – Become an Action Hub investor and help shape activities from the outset.

• Nominate suppliers – Encourage your direct suppliers or vendors to share details of their lower-tier suppliers. The Centre will then approach these facilities and invite them to participate in Action Hub activities.

To explore how your company can get involved, support the initiative, or connect us with your suppliers, please contact us.