Daily Times

Home Net Pakistan in collaboration with Sindh’s Labour & Human Resource Department (LHRD), Aurat Foundation and UNWomen, held a celebratory ceremony on Friday at Moven Pick Hotel to applaud Sindh Members of Provincial Assembly (MPAs) for passing legislation in support of home based workers (HBWs) at Moven Pick Hotel on Friday.

The programme was attended by a large number of people including workers, trade unions, employers, government officials, & MPAs from different political parties.

Um-e-Laile, the Executive Director of HomeNet Pakistan called this development a “historic achievement”. She explained that the bill had remained in pipelines for many years but with the support of Minister LHRD and MPAs, it was finally approved on May 9.

Secretary LHRD Abdul Rasheed Solangi said that thanks to the efforts of home based workers (HBWs) and the civil society, the dream of a separate law for HBWs came true and HomeNet Pakistan deserved appreciation for campaigning for the rights HBWs for more than a decade. He also thanked the labour minister and the labour department staff for their sincere efforts in the successful passage of HBWs law.

Minister LHRD Syed Nasir Husain Shah appreciated the efforts of HomeNet Pakistan for holding such generous celebrations for MPAs, workers and the civil society. He especially thanked the opposition members for offering no resistance when the act was presented in the assembly.

He said that this law will enable thousands of unregistered HBWs in province to get recognized for their work and it would also make them eligible for facilities and privileges offered to workers.

Karamat Ali from the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER) while expanded on the benefits HBWs would reap from the law. He said that social security, EOBI, health insurance were only some of the benefits HBWs would be entitled to under this law.

Published in Daily Times, May 26^th 2018.