Daily Times

KARACHI: The recurring disaster since 2005 inflicting huge human and financial losses being sufficient evidence that climate change is a direct threat to human security and is impacting and even destroying jobs and livelihoods, the situation demanded multiple actions to address the threat. There is an urgent need to develop national policy to combat labour market implications of climate change.

This was the consensus developed in the Focus Group and 9th Business Talk Sustainability meeting organised by the Employers’ Federation of Pakistan (EFP) in collaboration with ILO and the Global Compact Network Pakistan which was participated by experts and intellectuals drawn from business, government, NGOs, workers federations, academia besides the representatives of three agricultural employers including small landlords, associations and agricultural workers unions of Mehar and K N Shah in Dadu and Mirpukhas.

The EFP President Khawaja Muhammad Nauman while welcoming the experts and intellectuals in the focus group meeting termed it as the most appropriate time for the stakeholders to develop a comprehensive policy to combat the implications of climate change on labour market as a part of a holistic employment oriented labour and industrial policy at the federal and provincial levels.

The focus group discussion identified the risk posed by the climate change to the employment conditions and emphasised upon the need to enhance awareness on climate change and its adverse impact on farmers’ communities throughout Pakistan and particularly in the province of Sindh. The focus group also addressed the threats to business and labour markets from the fast unfolding challenges of the climate change and water management and discussed measures to be taken at the policy level including a water policy for Sindh.

The focus group in its recommendations called for land reforms, need for consistent policy with national consensus on labour, agriculture, water scarcity, food security and other issues related to climate change, employment generation, removal of disconnect between policy, communication and implementation, shift from loan based economy with structural changes, imposition of agricultural tax, interaction of parliamentary standing committees with stakeholders, promotion of public-private partnership in design and implementation of projects to combat adverse impact of climate change on employment with particular emphasis on promotion of alternative and agro-based skills in rural women and youth.

Global Compact Network Pakistan President Ahsanullah Khan, PILER Executive Director Karamat Ali, NTUF General Secretary Nasir Mansoor, Agricultural Employers (Small Landlords) Association Dadu President Qazi Wajid Mahesar, Research, Agricultural Research Centre TandoJam Director General Noor Muhmmad Baloch, Skill Development Council CEO Nazar Ali, Home-Based Women Workers Federation General Secretary Zehra Khan addressed the focus group and business talk sustainability meeting.

The meeting was attended by a good mix of stakeholders which included the presidents, secretaries and members of agricultural employers associations and agricultural worker unions of Mipurkhas and Mehar, K N Shah of Dadu, Department of Agriculture Sindh Deputy Secretary Abdul Aziz Channa, Toshio Fujita of Saita Pakistan Limited, Zeenat Hussain of PILER, sociologist and consultant on gender and environment, Meher Marker Noshirwani also participated in the event.

The Employers’ Federation of Pakistan Secretary General Fasihul Karim Siddiqi in his closing remarks called for strong bilateral dialogue between employers and workers for developing a consensus strategy with a view to evolve an employment and productivity oriented labour, industrial and agricultural policy which can create conducive climate for responsible investments in industry and agriculture for employment generation, implementing labour standards and promoting social dialogue and decent work approaches.

A special task force was formed at the conclusion of the meeting to develop a policy framework in the light of discussions and suggestions made in the focus group meeting which will be placed for discussion before the forthcoming National Industrial Relations and Provincial Tripartite Labour Convention being organised by EFP on May 19th and 20th at Karachi.