Tackling Poverty through Decent Work: Launch of the First Decent Work Country Profile for Pakistan
On 15th December 2014, the Ministry of Overseas Pakistani’s and Human Resource Development (OP-HRD) in collaboration with the Employers Federation of Pakistan (EFP) and Pakistan Workers Federation (PWFF) and the ILO launched the country’s first Decent Work Country Profile which provides a comprehensive analysis on the status of decent work and gaps to be addressed . The profile covers the data period 2002-2013.
15 December 2014
ISLAMABAD (ILO News): The share of informal employment in non-agricultural employment has increased persistently from 63.8 percent in 2002-3 to 73.3 percent in 2013, reducing further the already narrow coverage of social security and minimum wages laws, is one of the key finding from the first Decent Work Country Profile for Pakistan. This has prompted the Government to prioritise actions aimed at formalising the informal economy to promote “Decent Work”. The Decent Work Country Profile for Pakistan shows a clear trend of declining number of ‘out of school children’ (from around 42% to 31%) and increased adult literacy rate (from around 47% to 57%). In this scenario integrated interventions are required to retain children in school in order to meet the MDG on universal primary education (MDG-2).
The Decent Work Country Profile was launched by the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development on Monday, 15th of December 2014 which was developed with the technical assistance of the ILO in collaboration with Employers Federation of Pakistan (EFP), Pakistan Workers Federation (PWF) and other relevant stakeholders.
The Decent Work Country Profile covers eleven substantive elements corresponding to the four strategic pillars of the Decent Work Agenda in Pakistan which include full and productive employment, rights at work, social protection and the promotion of social dialogue.
In his opening remarks, ILO Country Director for Pakistan, Mr. Francesco D’Ovidio, emphasised on the importance of such a baseline in order to highlight the state of decent work in the Pakistan as well as the progress made towards its attainment and the gaps that still remain to be addressed. Mr. D’Ovidio pointed out the fact that the profile presented a mixed picture of a situation in Pakistan where in some of the areas, there had been some progress while in some areas, there had been a declining trend.
According to the analysis under the profile there had been a decline in the number of ‘out of school children’ (from around 42% to 31%); increased adult literacy rate (from around 47% to 57%); increasing trend of women in employment (from around 22% to 39%); reduction in child labour rate (from around 14% to around 10%); reduction in hazardous child labour rate (from above 4% to less than 3%).
On the other hand, the rate of unemployment has increased since 2007-08 (from less around 5% to above 6%); informal employment has increased (from less than 65% to around 73%); gender disparities in employment remained stagnant as measured under the ‘Gender Wage Gap’ (at above 30%); the profile also shows an increase rate of ‘Occupational Injury – non-fatal’ (from close to 2% to above 4.1%) prompted mainly by inadequate number of Labour Inspectors.
Mr. Sikandar Ismail, Federal Secretary, Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis in his closing remarks mentioned that formalization of economy is still a growing challenge in Pakistan, however the profile provided a comfort level to stakeholders and ILS monitoring bodies about the steady progress Pakistan is demonstrating on compliance. He further said that the Decent Work Country Profile would greatly help Pakistan measure progress towards the goal of ‘Decent Work’ in Pakistan.
Mr. Muhammad Asif, Joint Secretary MoP&HRD highlighted the actions the Government of Pakistan was taking to address the gaps highlighted in the profile. Mr. Asif emphasised that the progress government has made so far was not possible without strong interprovincial coordination and coordinated actions at the end of federal and provincial government, which needs to be further strengthened. He said that the Government was committed to addressing the growing informal economy, occupational safety and health hazards as well as improve labour inspection and working conditions for workers and continue to work closely with stakeholders in this regard.
Mr. Zahoor Awan, General Secretary PWF highlighted the gaps and the contradiction between claims and ground realities of DWCP. He said, if the gains of productivity were not used to reduce poverty, uphold workplace rights, facilitate accessibility to safe working conditions and coverage of social protection, Pakistan will not be able to achieve the results as outlined in MDG targets.
Mr. U. R. Usmani, Board Member Employers Federation Pakistan congratulated MoP&HRD and ILO for having produced a comprehensive Decent Work Country Profile and emphasised on the sincere follow up required by all the stakeholders.
Senior Programme Officer
ILO Country Office for Pakistan
Email
Tel: +92 51 2276456-8
The Decent Work Country Profile was launched by the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development on Monday, 15th of December 2014 which was developed with the technical assistance of the ILO in collaboration with Employers Federation of Pakistan (EFP), Pakistan Workers Federation (PWF) and other relevant stakeholders.
The Decent Work Country Profile covers eleven substantive elements corresponding to the four strategic pillars of the Decent Work Agenda in Pakistan which include full and productive employment, rights at work, social protection and the promotion of social dialogue.
In his opening remarks, ILO Country Director for Pakistan, Mr. Francesco D’Ovidio, emphasised on the importance of such a baseline in order to highlight the state of decent work in the Pakistan as well as the progress made towards its attainment and the gaps that still remain to be addressed. Mr. D’Ovidio pointed out the fact that the profile presented a mixed picture of a situation in Pakistan where in some of the areas, there had been some progress while in some areas, there had been a declining trend.
According to the analysis under the profile there had been a decline in the number of ‘out of school children’ (from around 42% to 31%); increased adult literacy rate (from around 47% to 57%); increasing trend of women in employment (from around 22% to 39%); reduction in child labour rate (from around 14% to around 10%); reduction in hazardous child labour rate (from above 4% to less than 3%).
On the other hand, the rate of unemployment has increased since 2007-08 (from less around 5% to above 6%); informal employment has increased (from less than 65% to around 73%); gender disparities in employment remained stagnant as measured under the ‘Gender Wage Gap’ (at above 30%); the profile also shows an increase rate of ‘Occupational Injury – non-fatal’ (from close to 2% to above 4.1%) prompted mainly by inadequate number of Labour Inspectors.
Mr. Sikandar Ismail, Federal Secretary, Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis in his closing remarks mentioned that formalization of economy is still a growing challenge in Pakistan, however the profile provided a comfort level to stakeholders and ILS monitoring bodies about the steady progress Pakistan is demonstrating on compliance. He further said that the Decent Work Country Profile would greatly help Pakistan measure progress towards the goal of ‘Decent Work’ in Pakistan.
Mr. Muhammad Asif, Joint Secretary MoP&HRD highlighted the actions the Government of Pakistan was taking to address the gaps highlighted in the profile. Mr. Asif emphasised that the progress government has made so far was not possible without strong interprovincial coordination and coordinated actions at the end of federal and provincial government, which needs to be further strengthened. He said that the Government was committed to addressing the growing informal economy, occupational safety and health hazards as well as improve labour inspection and working conditions for workers and continue to work closely with stakeholders in this regard.
Mr. Zahoor Awan, General Secretary PWF highlighted the gaps and the contradiction between claims and ground realities of DWCP. He said, if the gains of productivity were not used to reduce poverty, uphold workplace rights, facilitate accessibility to safe working conditions and coverage of social protection, Pakistan will not be able to achieve the results as outlined in MDG targets.
Mr. U. R. Usmani, Board Member Employers Federation Pakistan congratulated MoP&HRD and ILO for having produced a comprehensive Decent Work Country Profile and emphasised on the sincere follow up required by all the stakeholders.
For further information please contact:
Syed Saghir BukhariSenior Programme Officer
ILO Country Office for Pakistan
Tel: +92 51 2276456-8