First-ever home-based women workers union launched in Pakistan

First-ever home-based women workers union launched in Pakistan

By Bushra Khaliq:

The first ever women union, Home-Based Aurat Workers Union Pakistan” (HBAWUP) was launched here at national congress held in Lahore on August 22, 2008. The congress was jointly organized by Women Workers Helpline, Labor Education Foundation and Action Aid Pakistan.

Over 600 home-based women workers representatives from Punjab, Balochistan, Sindh, NWFP and Azad Kashmir participated in the congress. Speaking at the congress the women workers narrated stories of their pathetic working conditions. They expressed hope that the union would help resolve their problems. The congress elected 31-member national committee and 11-member executive committee.

The newly elected office-bearers of the union include; Shahnaz Begum as president, Rozeena Saif as chairwoman, Jameela Baloch as general secretary, Fauzia Imran as information secretary, Shahida Shafeeq as finance secretary and Humaira Qureshi as joint secretary.

A grand women workers rally was followed by this congress. The rally started from congress venue at David Road to Shimla Pahari, Lahore Press Club. The participants were carrying banners and placards. In festive mood they were also chanting slogans in favor of their demands. The rally participants halted for some time in front of Press club to communicate their enthusiasm to media people.

In the afternoon a musical program was organized for the entertainment of the participants. They congratulated and hug each other on the formation of the union. The contentment of being unionized for striving towards achieving their rights & defeating the‘Power of Exploiter” was very much evident from their faces, expressions & actions.

Today, they laughed together, danced together and showed their power in their unionization, as it was THEIR DAY, the day that will surface the right path for them to achieve their goal. They sang songs and danced to the tune of music to celebrate their unity.

Next day on 23 August the union office-bearers held a press conference at Lahore Press club. They told the media that legal recognition should be given to home-based workers across the country and they should also be provided with facility of social security besides granting pension and stipends to their children.

The government should also apply rule of minimum wages level for these workers and ratify ILO Convention 177. Labour laws should also be applied on these workers, they demanded.

They asked for elimination of discriminatory laws against women. They were confident that the union would serve as a national-level platform for over 10 million home-based working women of Pakistan.

It may be mentioned that Pakistan is one of those countries where a large number of women are engaged in home-based work due to poverty and to supplement family income. Over 10 million women workers in Pakistan are engaged in Home-Based Work in sectors like garment, bangle making, shoe stitching, embroidery, carpet weaving, dry fruit picking, jewelry, leather products, steel scissors, mobile covers and prawn shelling.

Though their contribution to economy is 60 percent still they are the most unprivileged part of the society. Their incomes ranged between Rs 10 to Rs 50 (less than one dollar) a day despite the fact that they worked between 12 to 16 hours. They have no social and legal recognition of their work. Working in isolation, they have no rights as workers by law. Long working hours, poor working conditions and family pressure badly affect their health. (Ends)

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Bushra Khaliq
General Secretary
Women Workers Help Line
25/A Davis Road,Lahore, Pakistan.
Ph: 092-42-6363915
fax: 092-42-6363944
E-mail: wwhlpk@yahoo. com