Interfaith Christmas celebration highlights plight of sanitary workers

Strengthening Participatory Organisation organises event to raise awareness about the marginalised workers

HYDERABAD: Raising awareness about the neglected rights of sanitary workers, the Strengthening Participatory Organisation (SPO) celebrated Christmas with the workers and their families, as well as members of civil society, writers, performers and lawyers,in an interfaith event at St Francis Xavier Cathedral in Hyderabad on Saturday.

Addressing a gathering that included Muslims, Hindus and Christians - as well as a number of children dressed as Santa Claus, Father James expressed solidarity with sanitation workers, maintaining that they deserve to be treated with equal respect.

Meanwhile, Advocate M Prakash, a minority rights activist, urged sanitary workers to focus on their children's education. "You are not born for this job only. You should enter the competition through education, which will keep all ways open for you to reach greater heights," he said. He asked government officials to end discrimination against these workers and ensure their rights under the Constitution of Pakistan.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MNA Nuzhat Pathan recalled the days when she used to spend time with the families of sanitation workers and how her mother used to encourage her to play with these children. "She used to consistently try to motivate them to enroll their children in government schools to change their own life," she said. "I deliver the same message to you today, that education is the only way out to change your life."

SPO Hyderabad's regional coordinator, Pribhu Satyani, stated that his organisation wants to spread awareness about the marginalised community, adding that it had organised the event for this purpose. He demanded that government authorities ensure the implementation of laws, confirm their jobs, which are usually contracted on a daily basis, and provide minimum wages to these workers who are associated with both the public and private sectors.

Satyani highlighted the perils these workers encounter every day, which can easily result in fatal tragedies. "The lives of these workers are not safe as they clean toxic manholes and sewage and suffer diseases, some of which can affect their entire families," he mentioned. "They are vulnerable while working without safety tools. The government should take initiative to take care of these workers."

MNA Pathan, Father James, Advocate Prakhash and Hyderabad Municipal Corporation officials distributed safety kits among the sanitary workers at the end of the event, which included tableaus, traditional dances and musical performances.