Sindh committed to increase women participation with the inclusion of home-based workers

KARACHI: Sindh Parliamentarians on Friday reiterated their commitment to increase the women labor force participation with the inclusion of home-based workers.

In a seminar organised by Home Net Pakistan with the Government of Sindh, the parliamentarians demanded speedy finalisation of the rules of business for Home-Based Workers Act which was has been passed by the provincial assembly but still awaits implementation.

Pakistan Peoples Party’s Shala Raza said that Sindh government was committed to the home-based workers' cause and is ahead of other provinces by having the law for them.

“We are seriously linking up the HBWs with other streams of women empowerment network at district level in order to bring them to a level where they are able to take their decisions and for the community benefit,” she said.

She further added that Sindh now has support from Japan for the empowerment of home-based workers.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MPA Sidra Imran said that with the inclusion home-based workers in the workforce would add on the women workforce of the province.

“This would be a landmark because so far the women workforce of the province is very low,” she underscored adding that steps for the strengthening and empowerment of home-based workers taken by Home Net Pakistan and supported by UN WOMEN are commendable and needs to be scaled up.

“Leadership of women home workers is something that we need to replicate at all levels and create more leaders,” Imran stated.

Executive Director HomeNet Pakistan Ume Laila Azhar highlighted the importance the having an approved plan of action for ensuring the implementation of the Law in true sense.

Nuzhat Shirin from Sindh Commission on the Status of Women stated that Commission has formed a women economic empowerment committee in which they have included civil society as well.

Mahnaz Rahman, from Aurat Foundation, said that with the support of UN Women and HomeNet Pakistan implemented the project with the support of Aurat Foundation and has yielded positive results.

She highlighted the importance of capacity building, life skill enhancement, product diversification, financial inclusion for empowering the own account home base workers.