International Nurses Day marked with commitment to ‘decent work for nurses’
The International Labour Organization (ILO) commemorated International Nurses Day 2025 with a national webinar on the theme “Decent Work for Nurses – Investing in Safety and Economic Growth.
” The event brought together representatives from key institutions including the Pakistan Nursing and Midwifery Council (PNMC), the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination (MoNHSR&C), the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis & Human Resource Development (MoOPHRD), and technical experts from ILO to reflect on the urgent need to invest in Pakistan’s nursing workforce and align national frameworks with international labour standards.
Welcoming the speakers and the audience, Mr Geir Tonstol, Country Director, ILO Country Office for Pakistan, paid tribute to nurses as the backbone of the healthcare system and champions of the care economy.
He emphasized that decent work for nurses must include fair pay, safe and respectful workplaces, social protection, career growth, and the right to freedom of association.
Citing Pakistan’s nurse-to-population ratio of just 0.5 per 1,000, he called for greater investment and policy reforms to address workforce shortages and promote gender-responsive healthcare systems.
He also highlighted ILO’s contributions through the ILO-OECD-WHO Working for Health Programme in Pakistan and reaffirmed the organization’s support to the Government of Pakistan in the ratification of ILO Convention 149.
Ms Musarrat Rani, Midwifery Association Pakistan focused on the multiple challenges nurses face in Pakistan—including high turnover, poor working conditions, and gender-based barriers to leadership.
She said that migration of the workforce due to burn out and lack of support has led to a shortage of 1.3 million nurses in the country.
Dr Sabeen Afzal, Director Regulations/Council, MoNHSR&C, presented the Government’s vision to close the nursing workforce gap and improve healthcare delivery.
She reported a 29% increase in nursing institutions and growing youth interest in the profession.
Yet, she acknowledged persistent issues, including faculty shortages, weak quality assurance, and urban-centric deployment.
Ms Maren Hopfe, Technical Officer, Health Service Sector from ILO Geneva, provided an overview of key international labour standards relevant to the nursing sector.
She highlighted the importance of the Nursing Personnel Convention, 1977 (No.149) and Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No.
190)in healthcare settings and promoted the ratification of both conventions to to strengthen national frameworks that uphold workers’ rights, ensure safe and decent working conditions, and protect health and care workers against violence and harassment.
Ms Rabia Razzaque, Senior Programme Officer at ILO Pakistan, presented the findings of a legal gap analysis comparing Pakistan’s laws with ILO Convention 149, which was conducted with the support of the ILO-OECD-WHO Working for Health Programme.
She Concluding the session, Mr Raja Shahroze Abbas (MOPHRD) reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to advancing decent work for nurses, both domestically and abroad.
