My Home is My Work Place

News and Events in July 2010

On The Implementation Process of National Policy for
Home-Based Workers And Post 18 Amendment
Situation and Provincial Autonomy
In Lahore
On July 10, 2010

 

HomeNet Pakistan arranged a One Day Provincial Consultation on the Implementation Process of National Policy for Home-Based Workers and Post 18 Amendment Situation and Provincial Autonomy on July 10, 2010 at Crown Plaza Hotel Lahore. The consultation was arranged to share with major stakeholders the core components of the Policy, the initiatives so far and to develop a common strategy in pursuance of the implementation of the policy at the Provincial level. It was arranged to discuss the growing issue of provincial autonomy and present labor laws in light of the 18 Amendment  in order to review what initiatives can be taken collectively by the CSO along with its major stakeholders and the policy makers in order to effectively implement the National Policy at National and provincial level.

Ume Laila Azharshe, Executive Director HomeNet Pakistan, said that the home-based workers could have been included in the social safety net by recognizing them as labourers. She said that definition of the home-based workers should be included in the legislative clause so that they can also be counted as laborers.

 

 

Rubina Kokab, Program officer HomeNet Pakistan, gave the introduction of HomeNet Pakistan (HNP) and telling the initiatives taken by HNP shared with the participants that National Policy for HBWs has been finalized and also presented to the Ministry of Women development for further action. Presently it is being reviewed by the MoLMP.

 

Our goal is to achieve the legislation for the home-based workers so that they can there basic rights as workers and we are proceeding towards our goals strep by step. She added that, for this purpose the NGOs that are working for home-based workers changed their structures to work for the HBWs better, said Aima Mehmud, Executive Director Women Workers Organization, during the session.

 

Dr. Sabur Ghayur, Chairman of Center Labor Advocacy (CLAD) discussing the issue of Provincial autonomy and in the post 18th Amendment situation there is a need of further legislation and the policy implementation at provincial level. At provincial level after the approval of 18 Amendment all the assemblies have the legal right to legislate on labor issues. But the situation is not very clear at the moment.he further added that the provinces have an opportunity to include home-based and informal sector security net by registering them as labourers.

 

Definition is the foundation for the legislation. We need to add that in the legislation. These views were shared by Shamim Malik Advocate high court.

 

Haneef Ramay, Motahida Labor Foundation, said that they did four consultations on issue before the presentation of the labor policy. They sent copies of the consultations and the recommendations to the relevant government departments before the presentation of labor policy2010. But the government announced Labor Policy on Labor Day (May 01, 2010). International Relations Act is important because it includes the definitions of labor, industry, employer, and employee. It is important that through these definitions it proves that home-based workers are also labors. He said that as IRA is not substantiated, it affected the autonomy of N.I.R.C, labor courts, labor tribunal and registrar trade unions. 18th amendment in the constitution also affected it. All the provinces should request President to extend. Now it is the need of the hour to make combine strategies with government officials, NGOs and lawyers.

 

Salman Abid, Regional Director SPO, said that civil society needs to improve their work for the better results. Media should also be used to build pressure on government. Unless the HBWs are not recognized and mobilized, no progress can occur in this regard. It is the time to think on how to give and action plan to this policy for HBWs

 

HomeNet Pakistan took a great initiative for HBWs. But it should include the domestic workers also in its manifesto because are also very deprived workers, said .Amna Butter, Member of Provincial Assembly.

 

Arifa Khalid, Member of Provincial Assembly, HNP should give them a draft of an action plan so that the working committee could work on it.  

 

 

Khalid Mehmud, the Benazir Income support program director said that, we will provide Rs 25000 annually to deserving women for their healthcare needs. He also said that the shortlisted women will also be able to get free technical education through TEVTA.

The speakers said that with the abolition of the concurrent list, the provincial assemblies could legislate on labor issues. They added that the home-based workers should be brought under the ambit of Industrial Relation Act 2010.

Zakia Shahnawaz, advisor to the Chief Minister, concluding the consultation said that we should not rely on the government alone and on our own efforts. She said that combine efforts would give the good result she further said that their government would support any draft in this regard.

 

 

On The Implementation Process of National Policy for
Home-Based Workers And Post 18 Amendment
Situation and Provincial Autonomy
In Quetta
On July 10, 2010

HomeNet Pakistan arranged a One Day Provincial Consultation on the Implementation Process of National Policy for Home-Based Workers and Post 18 Amendment Situation and Provincial Autonomy on July 10, 2010 at Crown Plaza Hotel Lahore. The objectives of this consultation were to share the core components of the Policy with major stake holders, to share the initiatives so far, develop a common strategy in pursuance of the implementation of the policy at the Provincial level, to discuss the overwhelming and growing issue of provincial autonomy and present labour laws in light of the 18 Amendment  in order to review what initiatives can be taken collectively by the CSO along with its major stakeholders and the policy makers in order to effectively implement the National Policy at National and provincial level and to develop the linkages between the government institutions and network.

First session which was focused on the introduction, achievements and actions taken by HNP and was followed by  showing the movie “Silent Voices” based on the work and issues of HBWs. Participants took keen interest in it and appreciated the efforts of Sungi development organization, who documented it.

 

The magnificence of the session was on max when one of the HBW Ms. Fatimah graced the session by chairing it and introducing her work, in which she is involved. Participants appreciated the team of AF, who initiated the practice of presenting the actual stake holder /beneficiary as chief guest of the event.

Second session was taken by Mr. Azam Jan Zarkoon (Advocate high Court and labour laws expert) who is the active member of HNP core group of Balochistan. Mr. Azam Zarkoon started the session with informing the participants about the 18th amendment and provincial autonomy. He said that under this amendment 35 departments are being shifted to the province, hence labour issues under labour department have automatically become the subject of province; He further told the participants that article 27 of the constitution allows the state for special legislation for women and children. Now it is the high time for the legislature to opt this opportunity and make affirmative legislation for HBWs in terms of moving the bill, enforcement of national policy and amend the labor laws for the benefit of HBWs of the country. This session was followed with highlighting the key points of national policy by Saima javaid. Due to short span of time, Session two and three were merged and here Mr. Azam Zarkoon also discussed the points of IRO 2010.Second Session was moderated by Ms. Ayesha Ayub, (representative of SEHER and consultant for ADB).

Third session was based on the briefing of different Government institutions, which are providing benefits to workers through different programs and schemes. Firstly, Dr. Fazal mengal introduced the Balochistan Social security institution and highlighted the key benefits including medical, injuries and death compensation: same the Director EOBI informed about the registration procedure of an employee and expected benefits under EOBI. Mr. Hussain Mirza, gave briefing on the work and benefits of BISP.

Last session covered the sharing of action plan which was prepared during the consultation meeting in Karachi supported by UNIFEM. The magnificence of the session was the sharing of action plan by the respective participants who were involved in making of action plan. Parliamentarians (Ms. Ghazal Gola , Ms. Raheela, Ms. Hussan Bano) on behalf of  all female MPAs, Ms. Ayesha, Mr. azam Zarkoon for Civil society and Mr. Tahir Malik, Mr.  Mohammad Agha and Dr. Fazal on behalf Government not only shared the work plan but also showed the strong commitments for completing the tasks successfully.

Outcomes

People showed keen interest in all the session that were based on Government schemes or Benefits i.e. BISP, EOBI, BSSI and WWB, and they demanded for more sessions on these topics, because directly or indirectly these schemes also addresses their organizational and employment securities.

Case study of Fatima by her self and the documentary “Silent Voices” left the positive and incisive impact on the participants

Provincial consultation provided the participants to build the linkages with government institutions i.e. BISP, BESSI. EOBI etc. More, one of the district partner discussed the issue of Girls school with Ms. Raheela Durrani and took the grant of 3,000,00/ for Noshki district

Representatives of EOBI and BESSI ensured to collaborate with HNP and cooperation in developing the brochures on EOBI and BESSI

Representative of BISP, offered the organization to give the name of deserving HBWs for the scheme of BISP and discussed the registration process, they also discussed the way of registration of HBWs within NADRA and BISP

All parliamentarians committed to bring the bill on the issue of social protection for HBW, for this purpose a committee comprising on Lawyers and other civil society representatives was also formed during the consultation.

It was also discussed and committed to ensure the steps taken by provincial Government for the enforcement of national policy under the provincial autonomy.

Strong media coverage was given by the representatives of media and they committed for the future media campaigning in terms of highlighting the different issues of HBWs through articles, features and programs.

Informative material ( Copy of, flyers of HNP and National policy, action plan, Flyer of EOBI and BISP) was distributed among the participants

Commitments
The action plan developed during the provincial consultation was shared and further commitments came for the implementation of national policy by the representatives of civil society and Government:

Bill of Social protection will be prepared and move in provincial assembly

Advocacy meeting will be done with decision makers for implementation of national policy

Issues of HBWs and ultimate strategies will be highlighted through media for mass awareness.

 

 

 

 

Provincial Consultation on the Implementation Strategy for the
HBWs Policy Post 18 Amendment situation and
Provincial Autonomy Sindh,
Karachi 16 July 2010

 

HomeNet Pakistan in collaboration with Labor Education Foundation and Aurat Foundation arranged a One Day Provincial Consultation on the Implementation Process of National Policy for Home-Based Workers and Post 18 Amendment Situation and Provincial Autonomy on July 16, 2010 in Karachi. Ms. Tauqeer Fatima, Minister Women Development Sindh, Mr. Amir Nawab, Labor Minister, Sindh were the chief guests. Ume Laila (Home Net), Mahnaz Rahman (AF) Shafi Ghouri (PNFTU), Nazar Muhammad (SESSI) and Nasir Mansoor (LEF) were the speakers. More than 50 Participants attended the consultation.

The objective of the Provincial consultation was to share with major stakeholders the core components of the National Policy for HBWs, the initiatives so far and to develop a common strategy in pursuance of the implementation of the policy at the Provincial level.  The overwhelming and growing issue of provincial autonomy and labour laws were discussed  in order to review what initiatives can be taken collectively by the CSO along with major stakeholders and the policy makers to effectively implement the National Policy at National and provincial level.

Zehra Khan (LEF) welcomed the participants and asked them to introduce themselves. Mahnaz Rahman (AF) gave a brief history of NGOs interventions to highlight t the existing and potential impact of one specific set of policies –viz-----labour policies and legislation. She said that since 1995 UNIFEM and other NGOs have supported a series of research, documentation and training initiatives to promote women's economic empowerment in the South Asia Region. In most South Asian countries, home-based workers account for a majority share – 60 to 90% - of selected key export industries, including the agarbatti and bidi industries in India, the football industry in Pakistan, and the coir industry in Sri Lanka.

Ume-laila (Home Net) shared the issues of home based workers and history of the interventions of Home Net. Rights and they work under poor conditions, which include low wages, long hours, irregular work and delayed payments. She said that there was no authentic data available as a proper countrywide survey to count HBWs had never been conducted but an estimated figure of HBWs obtained through small-scale surveys was about 10.9 million in the country. “Since they are scattered, unregistered, mostly working on a contract basis, they are not covered by labor laws,” she said, adding that they remained the most vulnerable segment of society and were exploited mostly by middlemen.

Shafi Ghouri (NFTUP) appreciated the 18th amendment and urged the government to sign ILO convention 177 and formulate local laws and workers friendly policies.

Nasir Mansoor demanded that definition of home based workers should be reformulated and they should be formerly recognized as workers so that they could be registered with social welfare organizations. Currently, HBWs could easily be exploited because they could not become members of any trade union.

Nazar Muhammad, commissioner told about the facilities that a worker can get after being registered with SESSI and these are directly related with the contribution paid by the organization of the workers.
Sindh Labour Minister Ameer Nawab said that orders were sought from Islamabad for every decision and policy in the past, but after the 18th amendment to the constitution labor issues —, which were in the concurrent list — had been handed to the provinces. “Now these issues will be solved easily and quickly,” he added.

He said necessary planning and consultation was being carried out to make laws to recognize laborers associated with the construction, agriculture and informal sectors as workers so that they could become members of trade unions and avoid being exploited. Their rights would be protected under the law, he said.

“Soon some procedure, which is under consideration, will be formulated as to how these workers can get themselves registered with the government,” he said.

Regardless of the fact which organization they worked for, they would remain registered with the central body and could draw benefits from workers welfare organizations such as the Sindh Employees Social Security Institution (SESSI), Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) and WWB. He appealed to workers to get organized so that their rights could be protected. Recalling that the top priority of the government was to abolish the anti-labor legislation, IRO-2002, he said the government immediately after assuming office in 2008 abolished it and then passed the IRA in 2010.

“Now efforts are being made to make it even better for which workers and other stakeholders have been asked to come forward and assist the government so that just legislation beneficial to both employees and employers can be formulated,” the minister said.

He said that SESSI, which was formed in 1965, registered only 375,000 workers in more than 40 years. However, over the last couple of years, more than 200,000 workers had been registered, he said, adding that 115,000 more workers would be registered this year.

Tauqeer Fatima, Minister Women Development told the participants that her ministry has approached the federal government to allocate a regular quota for women home based workers under the Benazir Bhutto Income Support Program. She lauded the efforts of Home Net Pakistan; Labour Education Foundation for arranging the provincial consultation for home based workers.