Sindh Fasts On It Way Towards Implementation Of Home Based Workers Act- 2018: Speakers

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Sep, 2018 ) :The Sindh government is actively engaged in fast implementation of Sindh Home Based Workers Act 2018 through adequate availability of women labor inspectors across the province.

Speakers said this at a 2-day capacity development workshop, organized by HomeNet Pakistan, for officials responsible for the enforcement of the law said this being first of its kind in the country required an efficient and fool proof approach safeguarding the minimum wage, healthy working environment and social security rights of women as well as that of other excluded groups.

"The law is truly comprehensive encompassing all HBWs and guaranteeing their economic empowerment as well rights to occupational health and safety protection, social security coverage, EOBI coverage, health cards facility, grants, pension schemes," said Ume Laila, Executive Director HomeNet.

The activist appreciated UNWomen, Aurat Foundation as well as Sindh Labour Resource Development department for their help in getting materialized the urgently needed capacity building program.

The event was attended by officials belonging to labour, law, social welfare, social security and women development departments of the provincial government besides workers associated with Pakistan Ready Garments Institute, representatives of Employer Federation of Pakistan (EFP), EOBI, trade unionists and labor rights activists.

Ume Laila also briefed the participants about history of struggle for HBWs rights in South Asia as well as in other parts of the world.

"HomeNet South Asia is a member based organization which have members countries including India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Pakistan," she said mentioning that HomeNet South Asia has taken up issues and uplifted status of women HBWs in these respective countries.

She also shared in detail with the participants procedure adopted under the law for registration of home based workers mainly comprising women, people with disabilities as well as transgenders.

Issues and challenges faced by HBWs were particularly discussed.

Naheed Syed, HomeNet representative for Karachi referred to urgent need for female labour inspectors at district level so as to streamline the monitoring process crucial to protect rights of women HBWs at their respective workplaces.

Syed Ashraf Ali Naqvi, Shaheen Nisar Mangi, Habib Junaidi, Abid Hussain Zawavi and Gulfam Nabi Memon also spoke on the occasion.