One Day Provincial Stakeholders Consultation on Policies and Legislation for HBWs

One Day Provincial Stakeholders Consultation on Policies and Legislation for HBWs

PR(Lahore, 16^th, April,13) One Day Stakeholders Consultation on Policies and legislation for Home Based Workers was held under the aegis of HomeNet Pakistan here today in Provincial Metropolis.

The consultation was addressed by Dr Qais Aslam, Economist, Iftikhar Randhawa, Chairman Employers Federation, Khursheed Ahmed, General Secretary Pakistan Workers Federation, Ch Yaqoob, Pakistan Workers Federation and Trade Union Activist, Rubina Jamil President Pakistan Workers Confederation , Niaz Khan General Secretary National Trade union Federation Punjab , Yousaf Baloch Chairman Central NTUF, Hanif Ramay Mutahida Labour Federation (MLF), Khalid Mehmood, President Labour Education Foundation. The consultation was attended by the trade unions and confederation representatives, government officials, home base workers leaders, and civil society representatives.

Ume Laila Executive director HomeNet Pakistan highlighted the present situation of the HBWs policy in Punjab. She urged the need of building consensus and coalitions for ensuring the implementation of HBWs policy in Province. She highlighted the role of the national trade unions and confederations in organizing the HBWs and brining them to the safety nets.

Dr Qais Aslam on this occasion explained the current economic condition and highlighted the role of Home Based workers in informal economy. He suggested that when the industrialist could reform the role of middleman by adopting different strategies of combining retailing and selling point the same way there should be the way to eliminate the role of middleman.

Mr Iftikhar Randhwa Chairman Pakistan Employers Federation appreciated the efforts for HBWs in Punjab. He stressed the need to adopt economic viability approach for addressing the needs and issues of HBWs by providing them access to knowledge, skill development and equal opportunities. He also applauded the role played by Department of Labour and Human resource Punjab during the finalization of the HBWs policy. He highlighted the need to bring the 65% HBWs under the social safety nets.

Khurshid Ahmad, President, Pakistan Workers Federation, emphasized on equal employment opportunity for women workers as well. He assured that confederation would support HBWs at all levels for unionization so that they could raise their voices on larger platform. He also stressed the need to hold joint sessions where national federations and confederations and general workers unions could sit and devise strategy to uplift informal sector. He also assured that letters would be send by confederation to the main stream political parties for creating spaces for HBWs and assuring opportunities for them in their party agendas. Mr Khurshid stressed the need to share the processes adopted by Punjab government with other provincial governments. Ch Yaqoob from Pakistan workers federation applauded the initiatives of Homenet Pakistan on highlighting the HBWs issues and assured full support in the policy implementation in Punjab.  Khalid Mehmood from Labour Education Foundation urged the need to organize HBWs into unions and associations. He said the trade unions can play an important role in extensive organizing of informal sector workers and ensuring their inclusion in the trade unions for giving voice and visibility.

The representation from the National federation of trade unions and Confederations was in support of the recognition and representation of HBWs in Punjab.

While talking about the Political parties Manifestoes Salman Abid, Regional Head SPO, emphasized on the need for political education to address the issues of HBWs. He suggested that pressure needed to be building on the political leadership rather than their workers to include this sector in their manifestoes and ensure their commitment for implementation of home based workers policy.

On this occasion recommendation were put forward by the participants that there would be a joint press statement on International Labour Day by the trade union representatives and HBWs on 29 April in Lahore.