The Association of Network for Community Empowerment (ANCE), in collaboration with International Labour Organisation (ILO)-Pakistan, organised a seminar on “Legal empowerment of brick-kiln workers through social protection services”, on Friday. ILO Country Director Francesco d’Ovidio said that he had arrived in Pakistan in June 2011 and it was his first field visit to community level work. “I have chosen to visit you here on your brick kilns to show my solidarity with all of you,” he said.
Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) Director Khaild Mehmood, National Data Registration Authority (NADRA) Deputy Director Rana Babur Sher, Pakistan Labour Front Secretary General Nazir Shehzad, three brick-kiln employers Rana Bhukyar Ahmad Khan, Khaild Muhammad Gujar, Rana Mubashar and brick-kiln workers and families were present at the seminar.
The ILO-Pakistan director said that under the ILO project, implemented by ANCE, various interventions had been implemented for the welfare of the brick-kiln workers. The interventions included health screening of 175 workers, education for children and adult workers, computerised national identity cards for 984 people and 109 birth certificates.
He said that the project had helped 150 women and men receive Social Security Cards from the Punjab Employee Social Security Institute (PESSI).
