In Pakistan, Christian Solidarity International works to free Christian brick kiln workers and victims of religious discrimination

NEWS SOURCE: Adams Group

For Immediate Release (Westlake Village, CA) — As the third largest brick producer in South Asia, Pakistan employs 4.5 million workers in 20,000 brick kilns. Many of these workers are Christians, who work as bonded laborers in deplorable conditions. Christian brick kiln workers are frequently denied the right to practice their religion.

For three years, Christian Solidarity International (CSI) has been running a project to free brick kiln workers from debt bondage. The project prioritizes the liberation of families who suffer from particularly difficult circumstances. In 2023, CSI was able to repay the debts of 30 families and provide them with the means to become financially independent.

Although bonded labor was banned in Pakistan decades ago, the practice has continued unabated, especially in agriculture and brick manufacturing. As a poor underclass, Christians and members of other religious minorities make up a large proportion of these modern-day slaves.

Adults and children toil under the baking sun from dawn until dusk with few breaks. The laborers generally live on site, in conditions that are hazardous to their health and with a lack of basic amenities such as toilets. All day long they are exposed to brick dust and noxious fumes. Injuries are common, and many develop lung diseases or lose their sight because of the dust.

The poorest of the poor become bonded laborers when they take out loans or cash advances from a creditor – for instance to cover urgent medical expenses or hospital bills. In return they take on an obligation to work for that creditor until the debt is paid off.

In practice, this never happens. The wages paid are so low that laborers are forced to take out further loans to meet their needs. Before long they are trapped in a cycle of debt, in which amounts owed are passed on from generation to generation. The situation is made worse by factors including high interest rates on loans, unlawful deductions, and falsified accounting.

Laborers are typically required to produce 1,000 bricks per day. The minimum daily wage set by the labor department is around 1,100 rupees – just under four U.S. dollars – per 1,000 bricks, but many kilns pay their workers substantially less.

Often, the whole family – children and grandparents included – are forced to work as slave labor in brick kilns to help pay off the family’s debts. It is estimated that one in three brick kiln workers is underage. And in some brick factories, more than half are under the age of ten. As child laborers these minors are often unable to attend school.

CSI’s project partners in Pakistan say brick kiln owners may also deny their Christian workers their religious freedom by preventing them from attending church. Some even offer to cancel their debts if they convert to Islam.