Women workers, peasants living in squalid conditions in Sindh

Women and girls in Sindh's health, education, and agriculture sectors bear the brunt of socio-economic and political oppression, mainly due to the control of feudal and tribal lords over assemblies and bureaucratic structures, stated Akram Ali Khaskheli, President of the Hari Welfare Association on Thursday.

While addressing a press conference at Karachi Press Club, Khaskheli expressed concern over the non-implementation of pro-peasant and rural worker laws, which has left women in rural areas vulnerable to social, economic, and political injustices. He added that despite the enactment of the Sindh Bonded Labour System Abolition Act in 2015, its implementation remains weak. As a result, every year, peasants must approach courts to seek the release of family members held in bondage by landlords. Between 2013 and 2023, a total of 12,116 bonded labourers were freed from the custody of landlords, of which 33% were women. These women endure the harshest aspects of debt bondage, facing economic exploitation, physical abuse, and deprivation of fundamental rights such as education, voting, and choosing their own spouses.

Khaskheli slammed the ineffectiveness of district vigilance committees, which are supposed to operate under the Sindh Bonded Labour System Abolition Act but fail to assist bonded laborers or those already freed by court orders.

Samina Khasakheli, Joint Secretary of the Azad Hariani Labour Union, added that although the Sindh government has set a minimum wage of Rs7,000 per month, agricultural and women workers still earn less than Rs10,000 monthly despite working 12-hour days. She emphasised that the government has neglected this critical issue.

Samina tried to shine the spotlight on the dire living conditions of women in districts such as Tharparkar, Sanghar, Mirpurkhas, Dadu, Jacobabad, and Badin, where they lack access to essential health and education services. Despite promises made under the Sindh Women Agriculture Workers Act (SWAWA) of 2019, women receive a meager Rs5,000 monthly for their labour-intensive roles in agriculture, including chilli and cotton picking, date-processing, and wheat cultivation. She stressed that the socio-economic conditions of peasants and rural women are extremely concerning, with the 2022 floods compounding their hardships. Many labourers lost their homes and livestock, and the slow reconstruction process has left millions of farmers homeless.

Hasna Chand, President of the Latif Hariani Labour Union, pointed out that there are no comprehensive plans for the economic recovery of women in agriculture, leading to persistent poverty, hunger, and economic hardship. She also highlighted the prevalence of health issues among these women, particularly malnutrition, which has caused a rise in anemia and other nutrient deficiency-related diseases among women and children. Chand called for immediate nutritional and healthcare support for these women.