FAISALABAD (INP): The government must protect women workers from exploitation, violence and bondage, and regularize most unprivileged members of society engaged in informal sectors including; peasant workers, domestic workers and home-based workers for their empowerment. The labor laws and policies must be framed after consultation with all the stakeholders, and every labor policy must have a separate section for the women workers which may also include time frame and action plan for the implementation of pro-women provisions.

These demands were made by the speakers of women workers convention entitled “Women Workers and Safe Working Environment” held at TMA Hall in Faisalabad. The event was hosted by the Association of Women for Awareness and Motivation (AWAM), implementing project of “Enhancing Women Workers’ Awareness on their Rights & Labor Laws” under the Gender Equity Program (GEP) of Aurat Foundation by the support of the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Speaking on the occasion, A member of the Punjab Assembly, Dr. Najma Afzal said, “The government has made remarkable strides for the empowerment of women by ensuring their significant representation in all fields of life.”

The executive director of working women organization, Aima Mehmood said, “The women workers must unite and organize themselves to build a strong unified voice for the protection of their rights.

The director of the AWAM, Nazia Sardar said, “Home-based workers make significant contributions to the national economy, but they are denied of any form of legal protection, including a minimum wage guarantee, social security and EOBI benefits, therefore the government must bring the main labour force of the informal sector under regulation and extend social protection to them.”