Women workers demand end to workplace harassment

HBWWF urges ratification of ILO Convention 190

KARACHI:

On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the Home-Based Women Workers Federation Pakistan (HBWWF) held a seminar at the Karachi Press Club, calling for urgent measures to protect women workers from harassment and exploitation.

The event, presided over by the HBWWF Central General Secretary Zehra Khan, paid tribute to the Mirabal sisters of the Dominican Republic - Patria, Minerva, and Maria - globally remembered as the "Butterflies" for their fearless struggle against dictatorship.

Speakers said the legacy of Butterfly Sisters continues to inspire Pakistani women, particularly those in the workforce, to resist patriarchal structures and confront injustice, misogyny, and violence.

Prominent speakers included journalist and activist Mehnaz Rehman, Dr Lubna Naz of IBA, Nargis Rahman of the Peace Foundation, and union representatives from the textile, garment, and zardosi sectors. They highlighted that women workers in Pakistan, especially in factories and the informal economy, face widespread harassment, wage discrimination, and unsafe working conditions. Despite making up nearly a quarter of the manufacturing workforce and contributing significantly to the economy, women remain deprived of legal and social protections.

Citing reports, speakers noted that around 85 per cent of women workers experience harassment, while 90 per cent of home-based and informal workers face abuse but lack the means to report it.

They criticised the poor implementation of Pakistan's 2010 anti-harassment law, pointing out that most factories have failed to establish mandatory committees, and those that exist often serve as token compliance for international brands without taking action against management.

The seminar also voiced concern over shrinking democratic freedoms, the silencing of dissent, and the rising incidents of detaining and forcibly disappearing political activists, particularly women. Speakers stressed the need for a broad-based resistance movement to defend democratic values and protect vulnerable communities.

HBWWF demanded strict enforcement of anti-harassment laws across all sectors, including agriculture and the informal economy, and the creation of accessible complaint mechanisms free from fear or intimidation.

The Federation urged Pakistan to ratify ILO Convention 190 without delay, ensure fair wages, and register women workers with social protection institutions. It also called for the repeal of discriminatory laws, restoration of democratic rights, and the release of political prisoners.