ISLAMABAD - Advocates at a session have emphasized the need for ensuring protection of women agriculture workers (WAWs) rights with key voices from Sindh and Punjab, highlighting the ongoing struggles and challenges of women working in the agricultural sector.
The session on women agricultural workers’ rights was organized yesterday by the AwazCDS-Pakistan and Pakistan Development Alliance (PDA) in collaboration with PODA as part of the event 17th Annual PODA Rural Women Leadership Training Conference, dedicated to the empowerment and advocacy of women agricultural workers.
In his opening remarks, Zia ur Rehman, CEO of AwazCDS-Pakistan, highlighted the organization’s commitment to promoting the rights of WAWs and emphasized the urgent need to recognize agricultural land as an official workplace. He stressed that the land on which these women work must first be granted the status of a recognized workplace, and only then we can push for the enforcement of laws ensuring their rights. He also urged for proper implementation of existing labour laws that address fair wages, workplace safety, and representation for WAWs.
The session featured a diverse representation from women agriculture working sector who share their personal struggles and challenges underscoring the lack of health facilities, prevalence of harassment, and unfair wages they receive. They highlighted that they produce food that feeds the nation, yet their own children are deprived of proper nutrition and education. They urged the government to issue “Hari Cards” for agricultural workers that would enable them to access essential services, including healthcare and social protection that are otherwise unavailable to them.
The session also featured Farhat, representing the NOW Foundation from Karachi, who discussed the multi-faceted challenges that women face across various sectors including agriculture, industry, and home-based textiles. She highlighted the non-implementation of existing labour laws and stated that the Sindh Women Agricultural Workers Act 2019 remains incomplete because the definition of ‘employer’ is missing. “Without a clear definition of who the employer is,” she said, “it’s impossible to hold anyone accountable, and this creates a loophole that leaves women without protection.”
In her remarks, Punjab MPA Kanwal Liaqat appreciated the courage of the WAWs who came forward to share their stories on this national stage. She committed to taking the agenda of WAWs’ rights to the floor of the Punjab Assembly and discuss it with the Punjab Chief Minister, aiming to gather support for implementing a robust legislative framework.