Minister for Local Government Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, MPAs from all major political parties of Sindh, Sindh Human Rights Commission, trade unions and human rights activists agreed on the need for a concerted multi pronged efforts to ensure dignity, workplace rights and equality for sanitary workers.
They were speaking at the Provincial Conference on “Shaping a Safe and Dignified Future for the Sanitary Workers in Sindh”, jointly organized by the Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO) and the Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC) at a local hotel. The event had participation from sanitary workers from various parts of Sindh, legislators, and officials from the labour, health, social welfare, human rights, local government and other departments. MPA Tanzeela Qumbrani, MPA Dilawar Hussain, Justice Read Majida Razvi, Chairperson SHRC, Veerji Kolhi, Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister for Human Rights, Javed Jabbar, Chairman SPO, Sadiqa Salahuddin, Executive Director Indus Resource Centre, Muzaffar Memon, MD WASA, Iftkhar Qaimkhani Hyderabad Municipal Corporation also spoke on the occasion.
Walking the audience the organisation’s recent work with sanitary workers, SPO’s Head of Programme Ms Shazia Shaheen said that these interventions broadly covered: (i) research on identification of key issues of the sanitary workers; (ii) training of sanitary workers on occupational health and safety; (iii) linkage building of stakeholders; (iv) dialogue on applicability of law and addressing rights deficits, and formation of community groups.
