17.04.2023

Millions Are Trapped In Modern-Day Slavery At Brick Kilns In Pakistan

​Families in Pakistan work dangerous jobs at brick kilns to pay off loans they take out from kiln owners. Many never escape the cycle of debt. Millions of people in Pakistan are trapped making bricks to pay off loans borrowed from kiln owners. But working at kilns is dangerous. Workers, including young children, inhale dust and toxic fumes. Workers often don't know the terms of their contracts and say their debts keep growing. In Pakistan, families are forced to make over 1,500 bricks a day to repay loans from the kiln owners. However, they are not told how much they owe, how long they must work, or how much interest is being attached to their loans. As this form of debt bondage spreads around the world, NGOs are working to free millions from modern-day slavery. Facing brutal working conditions, including temperatures that can reach upward of 120 degrees Fahrenheit, thousands of families work everyday to hand over their quota of 1,500 bricks to the kiln owners. Many of these families are stuck in debt bondage and work to repay their loans. They make $1.50 a day and are told another $1.50 goes toward their debt. However, as there are no set contracts or conditions to these debt agreements, the families often don't know how much money they owe, how much interest is being added onto their debts, or how much longer they will have to continue to work before the debts are repaid. Earning low wages, they have to keep borrowing money from the wealthy owners just to survive. There are nearly 20,000 of these brick kilns in Pakistan and over 100,000 across South Asia. In some cities, they account for 91% of pollution, according to the World Bank. Experts say that many kiln owners have government ties that help them evade any punishment. Credit: AFP