Sindh Parliamentarians visited ‘Home-Based Workers’ in Punjab: ILO organized exposure visit to a successful model in Sialkot
Parliamentarians from Sindh expressed solidarity for the rights of ‘Home-Based Workers’ and have affirmed their commitment to come up with necessary Policies and Laws to recognize ‘Home-Based Workers’ as part of the national work force.
10 December 2013
ISLAMABAD (ILO News) - This was stated during an Exposure Visit of MPAs from Sindh and Punjab to Sialkot to meet and see the real ground situation of ‘Home Based Workers’ in Pakistan. The Exposure Visit was organized by International Labour Organization (ILO) as part of its advocacy to support ‘Informal Economy Workers’ in Pakistan.
The delegation of MPAs was led by Advisor for Labour, to Chief Minister Sindh; Mr Asghar Ali Junejo and MPAs Nusrat Bano Seher, Naila Munir, Ghazala Siyal, Khairunisa Mughal, Rana Anser, Saira Shelani and Shamim Mumtaz. The Secretary of Women Development Department Sindh Mr Mudassir Iqbal was also present. The delegation was facilitated and accompanied by Ms Sajila Sohail Khan Gender Advisor ILO-GE4DE Project.
Careful estimates suggest the number of home-based workers in Pakistan to be more than 12.5 million and growing rapidly, due to shrinking ‘formal sector employment opportunities. More than 80% of Pakistani home-based workers are women who work 12 to 16 hours a day and earn less than 6000 rupees per month. These home based workers are present in various trades including glass bangle, footwear, embroidery, garments, handicrafts, sports goods, surgical instruments, toys, fisheries, cleaning, packing and packaging of different products. They are one of the exploited segments of the 60million workforce in Pakistan.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 177 for ‘home workers’ (approved in 1996) calls upon all Member States to adopt, implement and periodically review a national policy on home-based work aimed at improving the situation of homeworkers, in consultation with the most representative organizations of employers and workers and, with organizations concerned with homeworkers and those of employers of homeworkers. In Pakistan, Home-Based Workers are facing nine different kinds of ‘Decent Work deficits’ – and ILO is working with different stakeholders to overcome these deficits.
Though Pakistan has not ratified ILO Convention 177 but there has been considerable discussion on home-based work, with all provinces showing an interest in addressing the issue and some actively moving towards a “Home-Based Workers Policy”. ILO has been working with the Federal and Provincial Governments on developing and implementing policies for HBWs and has also established a few ‘Models’ at District levels.
In order to increase the understanding of Politicians and Parliamentarians and gain first-hand information about issues of women in the face of work the ILO Project for Promoting Gender Equality for Decent Employment (GE4DE) conducted a day long field visit in Sialkot on 19th December 2013.
During the visit Parliamentarians were given a brief background about the projects and achievements vis a vis Advocacy with Department of Labours to legislate a policy on Home Based Workers.
The policy of Home based Workers has been formulated and in KPK and Sindh it is now awaiting Parliament’s endorsement.
The Parliamentarians visited the training and work centers and met with the group of home based women workers being trained there on alternative skills for generating income, this intervention by the GE4DE Project has helped impart training to home based workers by enhancing the diversity and skill base, and providing them with the opportunities for earning livelihood while remaining close to their households. The Parliamentarians asked various questions from Home Based Women Workers and they apprised the Legislators about their issues.
The visit was followed by a meeting of the Parliamentarians at the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry with the President SCCI who explained how the industry can play an instrumental role in connecting the women Home Based Women Workers with better opportunities.
At the end the parliamentarians visited a local Sport-goods Industry where they saw women working in a ‘formal sector’ with facilities, which are not available for ‘Home-Based Workers’.
The parliamentarians appreciated how through the GE4DE-ILO Project alternative livelihood and linkages were developed, Advisor to CM Sindh for Labour Mr Asghar Ali Junejo in his remarks appreciated the work of GE4DE Project and called for immediate legislative action to give recognition to the home based workers, he also said that they would replicate the Baidarie model for Home based Workers Sialkot in Sindh and reiterated to raise the issues in their respective assemblies for policy and law-making.
For further information please contact:
Ms Frida Khan
National Project Coordinator/Media Focal Person
ILO Islamabad
Email
Tel: 051-2276456-8
The delegation of MPAs was led by Advisor for Labour, to Chief Minister Sindh; Mr Asghar Ali Junejo and MPAs Nusrat Bano Seher, Naila Munir, Ghazala Siyal, Khairunisa Mughal, Rana Anser, Saira Shelani and Shamim Mumtaz. The Secretary of Women Development Department Sindh Mr Mudassir Iqbal was also present. The delegation was facilitated and accompanied by Ms Sajila Sohail Khan Gender Advisor ILO-GE4DE Project.
Careful estimates suggest the number of home-based workers in Pakistan to be more than 12.5 million and growing rapidly, due to shrinking ‘formal sector employment opportunities. More than 80% of Pakistani home-based workers are women who work 12 to 16 hours a day and earn less than 6000 rupees per month. These home based workers are present in various trades including glass bangle, footwear, embroidery, garments, handicrafts, sports goods, surgical instruments, toys, fisheries, cleaning, packing and packaging of different products. They are one of the exploited segments of the 60million workforce in Pakistan.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 177 for ‘home workers’ (approved in 1996) calls upon all Member States to adopt, implement and periodically review a national policy on home-based work aimed at improving the situation of homeworkers, in consultation with the most representative organizations of employers and workers and, with organizations concerned with homeworkers and those of employers of homeworkers. In Pakistan, Home-Based Workers are facing nine different kinds of ‘Decent Work deficits’ – and ILO is working with different stakeholders to overcome these deficits.
Though Pakistan has not ratified ILO Convention 177 but there has been considerable discussion on home-based work, with all provinces showing an interest in addressing the issue and some actively moving towards a “Home-Based Workers Policy”. ILO has been working with the Federal and Provincial Governments on developing and implementing policies for HBWs and has also established a few ‘Models’ at District levels.
In order to increase the understanding of Politicians and Parliamentarians and gain first-hand information about issues of women in the face of work the ILO Project for Promoting Gender Equality for Decent Employment (GE4DE) conducted a day long field visit in Sialkot on 19th December 2013.
During the visit Parliamentarians were given a brief background about the projects and achievements vis a vis Advocacy with Department of Labours to legislate a policy on Home Based Workers.
The policy of Home based Workers has been formulated and in KPK and Sindh it is now awaiting Parliament’s endorsement.
The Parliamentarians visited the training and work centers and met with the group of home based women workers being trained there on alternative skills for generating income, this intervention by the GE4DE Project has helped impart training to home based workers by enhancing the diversity and skill base, and providing them with the opportunities for earning livelihood while remaining close to their households. The Parliamentarians asked various questions from Home Based Women Workers and they apprised the Legislators about their issues.
The visit was followed by a meeting of the Parliamentarians at the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry with the President SCCI who explained how the industry can play an instrumental role in connecting the women Home Based Women Workers with better opportunities.
At the end the parliamentarians visited a local Sport-goods Industry where they saw women working in a ‘formal sector’ with facilities, which are not available for ‘Home-Based Workers’.
The parliamentarians appreciated how through the GE4DE-ILO Project alternative livelihood and linkages were developed, Advisor to CM Sindh for Labour Mr Asghar Ali Junejo in his remarks appreciated the work of GE4DE Project and called for immediate legislative action to give recognition to the home based workers, he also said that they would replicate the Baidarie model for Home based Workers Sialkot in Sindh and reiterated to raise the issues in their respective assemblies for policy and law-making.
For further information please contact:
Ms Frida KhanNational Project Coordinator/Media Focal Person
ILO Islamabad
Tel: 051-2276456-8