The civil society organisations, while emphasising to activate the notified District Vigilance Committees (DVCs) of Sindh, decided to prepare proposals to access to the Bonded Labour Fund (BLF) in fifteen days and submit them to Ministry of Labour through National Coalition Against Bonded Labour (NCABL) for approval.
This was declared in an oriental workshop, held here on Monday, organised by Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (Sparc) on behalf of NCABL secretariat. The subject of the workshop was 'Access to the BLF and its proper utilisation'. The representatives of SPO, CRC Hyderabad, Youth Thinkers Forum Thatta, GRDO, Shah Sachal Sami Benazirabad, Rootwork, Sorth Samaji Tanzeem, ABAD, GCE Khairpur, Sindh Hari Porhiat Council, Bhandar Hari Sangat, Arts Foundation Mirpurkhas, SDS and Hamdam Organisation attend the workshop.
Ghulam Serwar Utehro, Assistant Director Labour also attended the meeting. The participants share their views regarding Bonded Labour (Abolition) Act 1992, rules passed in 1995 and National Policy and Plan of Action for rehabilitation of freed bonded labourers.
Kashif Bajeer, Sparc's National Manager for Bonded Labour, conducted a detailed presentation to the participants about BLF and BL Act-1992, their rules and National Policy and Plan of Action. He informed that, "bonded labour and forced labour is prohibited in Pakistan under the constitution, and govt of Pakistan due to pressure of International Labour Organisation (ILO) passed an act to prohibit bonded labour in 1992 and after three years govt also passed Act's rules". He said that according to these rules, District Vigilance Committee's must be formed in each and every district which play their role to eliminate BL menace from their respective districts and also work for rehabilitation of freed labourer.
Though eight DVCs had been notified in 8 districts but unfortunately not a single DVC could play its due role yet, he said adding that govt had also established Rs 100 million fund for the rehabilitation of freed bonded labourers, however due to non-activation of DVC this fund could not be utilised properly.
The participants, while condemning the negligence of the government functionaries, urged to activate DVCs properly and utilise BL fund without any delay. They decide to prepare proposals to access BL fund as per format set by the government, within fifteen days and hand over them to NCABL secretariat and NCABL will submit them with Ministry of Labour, Manpower and overseas Pakistanis, after proper approval from District Nazims and provincial labour department.