LAHORE:
Home-based workers (HBWs) must unite on a single platform to raise their voice, get the government to ratify ILO Convention 177 (on home-based work) and strive for the implementation of Minimum Wage Act, participants at the Home-Based Workers Convention concluded on Thursday.
Around 400 HBWs from Lahore and Sheikhupura attended the event organised by the Labour Education Foundation (LEF) at Bakhtiar Labour Hall. The speakers included Maria Kokab from HomeNet Pakistan, Pakistan Workers Confederation deputy general secretary Usama Tariq, National Trade Union Federation general secretary Niaz Khan and Muhammad Ishaq from the Labour Department.
LEF Associate Director Shahnaz Iqbal presented an overview of the challenges faced by home-based workers, the legal and constitutional protections available to them and the steps taken by civil society and the government.
Mohammad Ishaq from Labour Department said that a policy and law on HBWs had been proposed and would come into force simultaneously. “HBWs would be indentified and registered after it is legislated.
The draft has been presented to the chief minister for review,” he said.
Maria Kokab from HomeNet Pakistan explained the components of the proposed policy for HBWs. She said the policy was finalised after consultations between civil society and the government that over a decade.
Nazli Javaid, an activist, said HBWs, particularly women, needed to unite for their voice to be heard.
Trade union activist Niaz Khan proposed that one of the options available to HBWs was to create something like a trade union. “Organistion is important to ensuring the rights are protected,” he said.
A documentary directed by Ammar Aziz based on the bangle workers of Hyderabad was also shown.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 19th, 2012.
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