LAHORE: Stressing upon the legal recognition of ‘Home Based
Workers’(HBWs) as ‘labour’, national convention of HBWs call for
legislation as well as policy framing for suppressed workers in all
provinces.
Coming up with a charter of 12 demands, the national convention of
‘HBWs’ through a resolution asked the government to consider ‘HBWs’ as
labour.
A first ever National Convention of ‘HBWs’ hailed from different parts
of the country here on Saturday at Aiwan-e-Iqbal under the banner of
Labour Education Foundation (LEF) to raise the voice of suppressed HBWs
which was attended by a large number of workers, representatives of
trade unions and government officials.
The participants of the convention highlighted the situation being faced
by HBWs across the country. The representatives of HBWs informed the
participants about the problems and grievances of HBWs. They were of the
view that due to non-recognition as labour, HBWs are being deprived of
many due rights under labour laws.
However they are not getting their due rights under the labour and other
relevant laws only because they are not registered and covered under
these laws as well as government’s social protection and welfare
schemes. Participants told the convention those Home-based women workers
are exploited by contractors and made to work for up to 20 hours a day
against a nominal wage.
The bangle industry of Hyderabad alone has hundreds of thousands of
female workers who are not getting their due rights. These workers are
exposed to serious health hazards as dangerous chemicals are used in the
bangle-making process. Bangle-making is mostly done at home and the
entire family becomes engaged in the production process. The health
risks they are exposed to include cancer, tuberculosis, asthma and eye,
bone and skin diseases.
Addressing the convention, Secretary Labour & Human Resource, Government
of Punjab, captain ® Muhammad Yusuf intimate that Chief Minister Punjab
Shahbaz Sharif has directed to legislate about HBWs, though there were
complications in the framing of policy but now the draft of law has
almost finalized and within next one or two months after the approval
from provincial assembly will be enforced. He asked HBWs and trade
unions to submit proposals to finalize the draft law. He also told the
audience that backlog of marriage, death and education grant will be
cleared soon as Punjab government has released Rs one billion for the
purpose. He also added that law of minimum wages for HBWs will be
implemented in true letter and spirit as soon as the law gets nod from
Punjab assembly.
The convention was also addressed by Khalid Mahmood director LEF, Mahnaz
Rafi, political and human rights activists, Khurshid Ahmed , General
Secretary Pakistan Workers Confederation, Rubina jamil, President
Pakistan Workers Confederation, Niaz Khan , President Pakistan Workers
Confederation Punjab, Shahnaz Iqbal, Associate Director LEF, Hammad
Khan, Legal Consultant Women Development Department, Salma Butt, MPA
Punjab Assembly, Salman Abid, SPO, Irfan Mufti, South Asia Partnership
Pakistan, Yusaf Baloch, Chairman national Trade Union Federation, Aslam
Mairaj, Generaj General Secretary Labour Qaumi Movement and Um-e-Laila,
Home Net.
The representatives of trade unions and human right activists ensured
the gathering of HBWs that they would extend all out support to the
rights of HBWs.
In the resolution, governments of all the provinces have been asked to
make legislations as well as frame policies regarding ‘HBWs’.
It was further demanded that provision of social security and Employees
Old Age Benefit Institution (EOBI) for the ‘HBWs’ must be ensured. The
convention did ask the government to ensure the implementation of
minimum wage rule in the case of ‘HBWs’. The participants of the
convention demanded of the government to endorse the international
labour Organisation (ILO) convention C177 besides ensuring easy access
to local and international markets for ‘HBWs’.
The Convention demanded that data about the ‘HBWs’ must be gathered
through a nationwide survey. The resolution that was adopted unanimously
by the representatives of trade unions and as many as 1500 ‘HBWs’ from
across the country to observe October 20 as ‘HBWs’ day on national
level.
The resolution demanded of the government to grant right of forming a
trade union to ‘HBWs’. The convention asked the government to initiate
special steps to improve the living standards of ‘HBWs’ .The convention
asked that ‘HBWs’ must be provided training and skill development
opportunities. The national convention of the ‘HBWs’ has also asked the
government to finale policies like privatization as these are causing
surging of informal sector especially ‘HBWs’.
Issued by:
Khalid Mahmood
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