October 7 – World Day for Decent Work: Recognize Home Based Workers as Labor

Home Based Women Workers Federation Pakistan (HBWWF) also organized demonstrations of home based glass bangle and HB garment women workers in Hyderabad and Karachi respectively to put forward their legal demands and end of precious work.

 Today is one of the most important days in labor movement to remember that during the last few decades, informal worker has been increasing due to the policies of free trade by multinational and imperialist states that want high profit and give less benefit to the workers. In Pakistan Inflation rate is very high and government sold all the assists in thrown way prices. Privatization policy also resulted in high unemployment rates; introduce contractual system, cut in social sector and high poverty.

 In Pakistan more than 20 million workers are engaged with informal sector out of which 12 million are women workers who contribute in country’s economy but this is also fact that government neglected these workers from the welfare and laws. Majority of these workers in Pakistan are deprived of their rights as per national and international laws. Home based sector includes many trades where all workers especially women workers have no legal rights, they work for long hours, are paid less and no any facility by government or from their employers. They work in very bad condition. The work, in many sectors, causes serious hazards to their health like joint, eye, back pain, lungs problems, TB, stomach and kidney issues, skin allergy and diseases. Majority of them have no access to health facility.

 On this occasion Home Based Women Workers Federation (HBWWF), for all informal workers especially for home based workers of Pakistan, put forward several demands in demos which include

•                 Provincial Government should immediately announced the policy of HBW

•                 Provide Social protection to Home Based workers 

•                 Improve the working condition of home based workers

•                 Accept the right of freedom of speech and unionization

•                 Safety at work place

•                 Announce the minimum wage for HBW

•                 Equal opportunities for women workers in every field

•                 Provide health facilities to all home based workers especially those   workers working in Glass Bangle manufacturing

•                 Ratify ILO convention 177

Now it’s a high time to discuss the issues of home based workers globally and show our solidarity with these neglected workers in securing their due rights and fighting laws that expand precarious work.

In Solidarity,

Zehra Khan

General Secretary

Home Based Women Workers Federation (HBWWF)

Mobile: +92 336 376 1241

Email: zehra.akhan@gmail.com