On International Labour Day, home-based workers in Sindh expressed fervent enthusiasm as they welcomed the announcement by the Sindh Government to register home-based workers (HBWs) across the province. Ume Laila, representing Home Net Pakistan, noted that the long-awaited registration process under the Sindh HBWs Act 2018 had taken over five years. She highlighted the successful pilot registration initiatives in Hyderabad and Sukkur, which paved the way for the implementation of the law across the province.
However, she emphasized the urgent need for access to social security and other benefits as stipulated by the law. Ume LailaAzhar acknowledged the challenging journey for HBWs in Pakistan but lauded the country for becoming the first to enact legislation for HBWs in all four provinces. She emphasized the significant contribution of HBWs to the formal economy, boosting GDP and formalizing the workforce.
The efforts of the Sindh government and the Labour and Human Resource Department were commended for bringing informal economy workers into the formal labour force. MaheenArif, Provincial Coordinator, praised HomeNet Pakistan for elevating the issue of home-based workers to the policy agenda. She emphasized the importance of finalizing the social security mechanism outlined in the HBWs Act 2018 to protect the human rights of home-based workers. SadafParveen of Baldia HBW Garment and Textile Union emphasized the need for financial support and skill enhancement for women in the home-based sector.
She urged the government to allocate funds and ensure the registration of every home-based worker, along with monitoring and implementation of the law. FoziaAkram of Abidabad HBW Garment and Textile Union stressed the importance of protecting the labor and human rights of HBWs and integrating their demands into labour frameworks. Neelam Salman of Saeedabad HBW Garment and Textile Union called for collaboration between the government, civil society organizations, and labour unions to ensure effective outreach and implementation. Tehmeena from Ittehad HBW Garments and Textile Union presented the charter of demands on behalf of women HBWs, urging government action to safeguard their rights and oversee implementation effectively.
