Two day Workshop on Implementation Modalities for Home Based workers Policy in Sindh

Two day Workshop on drafting the Implementation Modalities for Home Based workers Policy/Law in Sindh

Al-Bab Report

Home Net Pakistan in collaboration with International Labour Organization and Department of Labour and Human Resource Development (LHRD) Sindh held a tripartite plus consultation to brainstorm and draft the implementation modalities for HBWs policy and the law. The need for this consultation comes from the delay in approval of the policy/ law for want of such modalities.

The consultative workshop aims to consult with LHRD officials, Workers and Employers representatives and other relevant key Line departments and stakeholders to finalize the implementation mechanism for HBWs draft policy and the law. The activity would serve the purpose in bringing more clarity to the LHRD on how the home based work should transform into decent work? And what kind of enabling environment and administrative structures need to be put in place for this purpose. Moreover, the activity would pave the way for the establishing a “Directorate/Unit of Informal workers” within the Province in order to register the workers in the informal economy , predominantly HBWs ,  Domestic Workers (DWs) , Agriculture and Fisheries workers and other workers in the informal economy.

Background

It is imperative that home- based workers be recognized as formal labourers instead of considered as a poor, consumable and insignificant part of the society. They must be considered as producers of goods and services and thus effective contributors to the society and the economy.  The home-based workers also need to be adequately reflected in national statistics and recognized as workers in the labour laws of the country, thus making them eligible for social, economic and legislative protection. They want support in information, knowledge, capacity building– developing contacts, presenting issues, advocacy skills, negotiation, conflict resolution and persuasion skills. This workshop is thus planned for encouraging the interaction among representatives of the home based workers & other concerned stakeholders for evolving inclusive modalities for the home based workers policy and the law, both of which have been drafted by the LHRD and are awaiting the ascent of the Chief Minister since long, because of the ambiguities about the implementation of the policy & the law.

With the support from UN women and ILO in post devolution scenario the LHRD had been engaged in the HBWs policy process at the provincial level. The finalization of the HBWs policy in Sindh and the processes adopted had been shared with the parliamentarians and relevant stakeholders including the employers’ federations, workers representatives and HBWs organizations time and again and their advice and recommendations were sought as a continuous process of advocacy by HNP. Since 2013 LHRD Sindh have shown commitment on the HBWs issues and had desired to have more consultative sessions on developing a better understanding on the HBWs issues and giving it a concrete shape. HomeNet Pakistan with the support of ILO and LHRD Sindh is thus organizing a two day activity for developing the implementation modalities for the HBW law and the policy.