At the fourth Provincial Stakeholders Alliance (PSA) meeting, Mr. Iqbal Ahmed Detho underscored the urgent need to enforce provincial labor laws in line with constitutional mandates and International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions, specifically emphasizing Conventions 138 and 182. He highlighted the importance of non-discrimination, equal pay, freedom of association, collective bargaining, gender equality, and social security in the workplace, urging the Social Protection and Social Welfare Departments to actively safeguard workers' rights and reaffirming SHRC’s commitment to a just workplace.
Reejhu Mal, Law Officer of the Labour and Resource Department, discussed the Rules of Business for the Sindh Women Agriculture Workers Act 2019, noting efforts to bring agriculture workers, Pakistan's largest informal sector, into the formal economy. He outlined plans to consolidate this Act into a code covering 16 worker categories, including agriculture, transport, and gig economy sectors like Food Panda and Uber, and shared that the rules have been submitted to the ILO and Law Department for review.
In her concluding remarks, Ms. Tahseen Fatima, Secretary of the Human Rights Department, stressed the need to dismantle entrenched power structures held by influential actors over laborers, highlighting the Sindh Women Agriculture Workers Act as a means to challenge these dynamics. She emphasized that with dedication and collaboration, government departments can effectively advance labor rights, advocating for unity in promoting social justice for all workers.
