ISLAMABAD: Chairperson Senate Committee on Human Rights, Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri on Tuesday announced plans to create a comprehensive policy framework aimed at addressing human rights issues, particularly those impacting labourers.
The committee will collaborate with various stakeholders to formulate this framework, which will be presented to both the prime minister and the chief minister of Balochistan.
Senator Zehri also called on the management of the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) to share insights from the upcoming Sustainable Development Conference (SDC-2024) to elevate these critical issues on the national agenda, stressing the importance of addressing human rights, climate change, and other urgent issues stating that while the problems are well-known, it is now time to focus on finding solutions.
In a penal discussion titled, “Socio-Climate Compliance for Resilience of Labour and Industry” of 27th SDC and Second Sustainability Investment Expo (SIE) organised by SDPI, the senator stated that she has been actively advocating for workers’ rights in Balochistan, a region rich in natural resources. However, many workers in Balochistan’s mines are unaware of their rights, leading to various health issues and challenges related to climate change.
She highlighted that labourers lacked proper training and equipment, and many were not registered. “Despite the presence of 800 coal mines in Balochistan, only 500 labourers are officially registered, and many of them work multiple jobs. The conditions for labourers are inadequate, with no access to ambulances or educational facilities.”
The senator recounted a conversation with officials from the Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI), who mentioned that workers received their benefits only after 50 years. When she inquired whether the workers were informed about this, the officials indicated that they only communicated with the workers’ supervisors. She expressed her dismay at that situation, noting that the minimum wage was not being provided to the labourers in the region.
In commending the efforts of SDPI for organising the SDC moot, she emphasised that this event presented a valuable opportunity to address critical issues related to human rights and climate change. She stated that the discussions would be compiled and presented to the prime minister for consideration in the national agenda.
In her presentation, Rabia Razzaque from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) discussed the Global Report on Heat at Work: Implications for Safety and Health, which highlights that each year, 2.41 billion workers worldwide are affected by heat waves, various diseases, and the impacts of climate change.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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