On International Women’s Day, the Sindh Human Rights Commission, in collaboration with the Labour Department Sindh and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Pakistan, held a conference at the National Institute of Labour Administration and Training (NILAT) Karachi, focusing on “Labour and Human Rights Due Diligence under EU and German Supply Chain Laws.”
Iqbal Ahmed Detho, Chairperson of SHRC, underscored the global struggle of women for rights and leadership positions, emphasizing the need for increased investment in women’s social, economic, cultural, and political empowerment, particularly in providing decent working conditions for working women. Jameel Hussain Junejo, Executive Coordinator of the Treaty Implementation Cell (TIC), shared insights on the United Nations’ Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, stressing Pakistan’s obligation to comply with core labour standards under the GSP+ scheme by the European Union.
He highlighted the challenges faced by women workers in the business sector and supply chain. Shariq Ahmed, Secretary of the Labour & Human Resource Department, Government of Sindh, discussed the importance of SMEs complying with EU regulations and the necessity for suppliers to be well-informed about regulatory changes. He expressed gratitude to stakeholders and organizers for their efforts.
Tehseen Fatima, Secretary of the Human Rights Department, announced the signing of an MoU with legal firms to provide free legal aid to citizens of Sindh in cases of human and labour rights violations. Barrister Rida Tahir, a gender expert and legal consultant, highlighted the ongoing marginalization of women in Pakistan despite existing laws.
She praised initiatives like the Pink Bus introduced by the Sindh Government to address discrimination faced by women in transportation.
