ISLAMABAD:The Women Workers Alliance, in collaboration with the Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO) and the Trust for Democratic Education and Accountability (TDEA) held a District Convention to demand for administrative improvements for better labour governance at all levels.
The event was attended by women workers from diverse sections of the labour force, including those working in academia, civil society, media, business, law, education, sanitation, hospitality industry, healthcare and public service.
Members of the alliance spoke up at the event to highlight the importance of equal participation of women in the workplace, not only for their own financial independence, but also for economic prosperity.
Mehar Nigar, an educationist, stressed the importance of including women in the workplace for not only themselves, but for the continued success of the country and society.
She stated that many qualified and well-educated women are not working, due the issues brought up by the alliance. She discussed sections of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC 354, 354-A, 355, 506) that deal with harassment and provide strict punishments of imprisonment along with fine depending upon the severity of offense.
Syed Kausar Abbas, the Executive Director of SSDO mentioned that such events were organized to give women a platform to voice their concerns, and advocate for not only a safe workplace, but a safer society as a whole.
Experts from various fields took to the stage for a panel discussion on the issues faced by women in the workplace, and demanded for better working condition, as well as the role of policy making for safe working environments for women, led by Ms. Azka Ramzan, Project Coordinator, Enhancing Women Access to the Market (EWAM).
This included Ms. Nafeesa Inayatullah Khan Khattak, Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan, along with Ms. Zahra Naqvi ex-Project Coordinator EVAM, Syed Kausar Abbas, Ms. Mehar Nigar and members of the Women Workers Alliance, Ms. Bilquis and Ms. Zahida.
The event was concluded by Naveed Amir Cheema, Member National Assembly, who stated the importance of hosting such events to give women platforms to voice their issues, as well as the necessity of creating safe working environments for women so that they may also be equal participants in Pakistan’s economy and betterment.