LAHORE: HomeNet Pakistan and home-based workers of Punjab have welcomed Punjab Chief Minster Shahbaz Sharif’s initiative to approve the HBWs policy in the Provincial Cabinet. The approval of the policy makes Punjab the second province in the country to legally recognise home-based workers. It is indeed a step forward toward the recognition of the home based workers of the province.
The provincial policy is based upon the guidelines and salient features of the draft National Policy on the HBWs as formulated by the federal government and has been finalised through exhaustive consultation with the stake holders including entrepreneurs, employers’ organisations, workers’ organisations, provincial government departments concerned vis a vis representatives of civil society organisations, local bodies and District Governments in the post 18th constitutional amendment scenario. The Policy on Home Based Workers is intended to develop strategies, plans and programmes for the protection and promotion of rights and benefits of the Home Based Workers (HBWs).
The goal of the policy is to recognise and accept the rights of the HBWs through legislative and administrative actions; accord legal equality; focus on their needs, concerns and demands through an institutional approach at all levels. The Government of Punjab shall recognize that HBWs are a special category of workers¸ as distinct from domestic workers, that includes: a) person who works within the home boundaries, or in any other premises of his / her choice, but excluding the premises of the employer’s or contractor’s workplace; b) a person who works at home for remuneration or monetary returns; c) a person who is self-employed or does piece-rate, own-account, or contract work, which results in a product or services as specified by the employer / contractor.
This policy reaffirms government’s commitment to bring the laws and regulations concerning HBWs in Punjab in conformity with the Constitutional provisions; and common standards and principles developed by international human rights treaties such as Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) , International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) , ILO Conventions, the right to education (Article 25-A), the right to be protected from slavery and forced labour (Article 11); the right association and collective bargaining (Article 17) Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan. In response to the CEDAW Concluding Observations on Pakistan shared by CEDAW Committee in 2007 and 2012, the Government of Punjab recognizes HBWs’ issues and proceeds with developing a specific policy for HBWs.
The Government shall further endeavor to resolve the issues of HBWs concerning (i) their status as workers (ii) extension of social security benefits currently applicable only to workers in the formal organized sector of employment through enactment of new law or amendment in the existing laws relating to Employees Social Security (iii) enjoyment of core labour standards (CLSs) along with the rights and entitlements in addition to all rights and benefits available to other wage earners performing the similar work, under the existing or any futuristic laws and regulations, iv) easy access to comparatively cheaper credit through several ongoing programmes, (v) easy access to markets for their products, (vi) protection from malpractices of ‘intermediaries’ and ‘middlepersons’ (iv) promotion of non-industrial handicraft goods through purchase and utilization in public sector offices as affirmative action (e.g. public sector office furniture, furnishings, fixtures, stationery items, official awards, prizes and gifts. The Provincial Labour Department shall work as the implementing agency under the mandate of Government of the Punjab in close collaboration with the relevant Departments including District Governments /local bodies guided by the Provincial plan of action. The provincial plan may also suggest or establish inter-sectoral and inter-ministerial steering group, including representation from the civil society organizations, workers and employers organisation at the provincial level to oversee the implementation of HBW Policy.
Most of the home-based workforce of the province are piece rate workers involved in manufacturing and post-manufacturing tasks such as garment and hosiery, shoe making, embroidery, carpet weaving, handlooms, wood work, bangle making, dates cleaning and packing, pottery, handicrafts and others.
It is also recognized that the majority of HBWs are women. Informal sector is the backbone of the economy and HBW are the majority of the informal sector working in various sectors and contributing to the economy and national GDP. The Government of Punjab, however, realizes that, currently, the workers in the informal sector of economy specifically in the home-based sector are neither covered by the labour laws nor the definition of the “home-based worker” is part of any statute. Labour protection, social security coverage and provision of safety and health services and benefits are not extended to the informal sector, including the home-based workers. Therefore, they are unable to access the services, facilities, rights and benefits, including fair remunerations.
HomeNet is looking forward towards the practical implementation of the policy for securing HBWs rights with collaborative support of home based workers organisations, HomeNet Pakistan members district action committees , workers federations, provincial and district departments.
