HYDERABAD: Labor rights activists, government bodies, growers and women cotton workers concerned on the poor working conditions of agriculture workers and demanded for the effective social protection and safety nets schemes.
The speakers resolved that agriculture should be given the status of the industry and inclusion of the agriculture workers in broader labor welfare frame workers.
Sindh Community Foundation (SCF) organized the dialogue on Status of agriculture workers in Sindh –in line with GSP+ Challenges and way forward in cooperation with Feed the Minds at a local hotel.
Iqbal Detho, Chairperson of the Sindh Human Rights Commission while giving the concluding remarks shared that the agricultural women are facing many problems including malnutrition and health hazards.
He also highlighted that the Govt is firm believe in implementation of the labor laws in connection with international commitment. He said that the commission is a bridge between civil society and Government as the role of the commission is the recommendatory body.
He further said that EU’s Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) gives Pakistan a special incentive to pursue sustainable development and good governance. He committed that Commission will play active role in over sighting the implementation of existing labor laws and human rights in line with GPS+ plus as well for the protection of the labor in the province.
Javed Hussain head of Sindh Community Foundation said that climate is an emerging challenge to the livelihoods and labor rights security of agriculture workers, as there is increase in temperature so the working conditions of women cotton workers are pathetic, they work in such harsh working environment.
He said that Pakistan is one of the vulnerable countries in world exposed to the extreme climate events, while the existing labor policies and labor laws are silent to adapt climate change realty.
He said the women cotton workers are forefront climate victims, need to be protection through various social protection and decent work intervention.
Dr Ismail Kumbhar said that recent heavy rainfalls had devastated impact on loss of standing cotton crop as was the stage of harvesting.
He said status as fourth largest cotton producing country status may lost in the result of low yield of cotton which may reduce the income generation for the cotton pickers.
He added that according to ILO data 65% women employment in agriculture sector, contributes 23 percent to the nations; gross domestic products-GDP. Recent floods also resulted loss of 4.3 million workers in Pakistan, largest portion is from Sindh.
Civil society activist Zulfqar Halepoto that labor rights debate has been shrunken so there is need to emphasize the inclusive labor policies with true spirit of constitutional guarantees.
Labor Rights Activists Mirza Maqsood and Farhat Parween were of the view that government should realize that workers runs the country’s economy so the social protection need to be inducted as fundamental right in constitution.
Syed Nadeem Shah Representatives of Sindh Abadgar Board said that growers also got loss due to damaging crops and land fertility because of heavy rainfall, so that government should also support the growers in initiation crop compensation and insurance schemes.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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