In pursuance of Atlanta Agreement a programme on“The Elimination of Child Labour from Soccer Ball Industry in Sialkot” was initiated in the year 1997. At this stage a need was felt to develop the institutional capacities of the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), in order to deal with the issues of child labour and to make the entrepreneurs/industrialists in Sialkot socially responsib
le, on sustained basis. This was also necessitated to provide continuity to all endeavors of the SCCI in regard to the child labour issues and to act as a professional counterpart to all the Programme partners in Sialkot such as ILO-IPEC, UNICEF, SCF-UK, and the national and local governmental and non-governmental organizations. Accordingly, the idea of establishing a unit within SCCI was deliberated upon at various forums such as the Project coordinator (PCC) of the Soccer Ball Project. Consequently Child & Social Development Organization was evolved as a result of all the said brainstorming and proactive planning of Atlanta Partners. Entitlement of registration was given to it on 22-7-02 with Directorate of Social Welfare, Women Empowerment & Bait-ul-Mal, as voluntary Social Organization under Registration & Control Ordinance (XLVI-1961) of Pakistan. At the time of laying its foundations it was given a name of Child & Social Development Programme (CSDP) however due to unavoidable circumstance its registration took place as Child & Social Development Organization (CSDO).The former Secretary General of the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI), Switzerland inaugurated CSDO. The membership of CSDO is mandatory for all Soccer Ball manufacturers participating in the Child Labour Elimination Programme. CSDO is a member of the Employers’ Federation of Pakistan (EFP), UN Global Compact and Local Global Compact Network Pakistan. CSDO has cordial relations and partnership with WFSGI in managing Sialkot Soccer Ball Project. Since its establishment, CSDO has maintained very good liaison with the concerned Government departments, and other national and international agencies to initiate and implement social development projects in Sialkot. CSDO has been working for the elimination of child labour in the Soccer Ball industry, protection of children and adolescents/youth especially girls and empowerment of marginalized community since its formation. In year 2007 and 2008, CSDO executed FIFA funded project “Football For Hope” for the promotion of football game amongst children and uplifted football grounds in Sialkot. CSDO has executed UNICEF funded “Child & Adolescents Protection Project” from May 2009 to 31 March 2012. The main objective of this project was to create protective environment for children and adolescents who were at risk of abuse and exploitation by taking protective measures through non-formal/formal education, recreation, psycho-social support, awareness raising, skill enhancement for income generation, advocacy, monitoring child rights violations. Under this Project around 4000 children & their families, 600 young girls and boys were benefited.
