International Labour Day: speakers for providing insurance cover to women agriculture workers

Speakers paid tribute to the women agriculture workers, especially cotton pickers on the occasion of the International Labour Day and demanded the government to ensure protection of rights of women workers in Sindh. They discussed violation of minimum wages and lack of social security, saying these women contributed a lot in national economy but in return they are facing difficulties to run domestic affairs.
They were speaking at Women Convention, organized by Sindh Community foundation (SCF), which attracted a large number of community women, growers, researchers, agriculture scientists, human rights activists. Nawab Zubair Talpur, leader of newly formed Sindh Growers Alliance accused the PPP-led government, which in his understanding is exploiting agriculturists, both growers and workers. He realised the fact that when landlords receive 50-percent rate of cotton per mound, how landlords can pay proper wages to the cotton picker women.
Suleman G Abro, President Sindh Agriculture, Forest, Workers Coordinating Organisation (SAFWCO) said it is the responsibility of government to design policies for development of agriculture and simultaneously for the workers, associated to this main sector. He said there are old laws and policies formed by British era long ago and being implemented present time. Abro proposed to design alternate agriculture policy draft with covering all issues related to workers and development and disseminate it to legislators, so they may take up the matter at assembly forums.
Professor M Ismail Kumbhar of Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam said it is not only the issue of wages; the entire social system needs to understand. He said in the name of green revolution, pesticides were given free of cost to farmers and now this is main hurdle and health risk for peasant workers. He suggested sensitizing the government to fix at least Rs 1000 per mound for cotton pickers. Nadeem Shah Jamot of Sindh Abadgar Board said 80 percent contribution in agriculture sector comes from women and they must deserve proper wages. He said Rs 400 mound wages is fixed by government for cotton pickers and landlords have to pay these wages as per the law. He suggested that these women may be given trainings for developing kitchen gardening at domestic level so they may produce safe vegetable for their own consumption and marketing to earn income. He said not only haris but landlords themselves are facing problems, because there is no policy for cotton price.
Punhal Sario of Sindhi Hari Porhiat Council pointed out that despite the fact the government has fixed Rs 400 per mound as wages, the cotton pickers get only Rs 180-280 mount in Matiari district. Dr Shahnawaz Dall said now when heat wave threats, these workers face problems of heat stroke. To avoid this threat, he said these women should be made aware about these issues and stays safe from heat.
Manzoor Thahim, a renowned writer pointed out that emerging corporate sector in agriculture forcing peasant workers to commit suicide because there is no work left for these local workers. Machinery under corporate sector forces the traditional workers to stay idle at home without job and in this situation there is no option other then committing suicide. Shabana, a cotton picking woman from village Jamal Dahri said they travel three-four kilometre distance daily to work but in return they are deprived of their wages. In some cases, she said pregnant women travel this distance and face health problems. They always take risk of lives to run their families.
Razzak Umrani of HANDS paid tribute to the world workers, who struggled to create awareness among the labourers to fight for their wages and rights. He said on the occasion of first May Day, this issue should be raised to stop pesticides, which are banned in the world.
Dr Ashothama of HRCP Sindh taskforce said now is the time to link workers struggle in Sindh to the workers of entire country, as the issues are the same. Mustafa Baloch, SPO regional head Hyderabad, Mashooq Memon of Labour department, peasant woman Shamim Kaka, Veteran hari leader Dada Ali Bakhsh also spoke on the occasion.