HYDERABAD In a collaborative effort to protect the rights of domestic workers, the Labor Department of Sindh and the International Labour Organization (ILO) held a consultative workshop on Wednesday.
The workshop brought together representatives from the cottage industry, labor organizations, government officials, civil society, and legal experts to discuss and propose comprehensive legislation for domestic workers.
Participants emphasized the urgent need for comprehensive legislation that addresses issues of fair employment, worker rights, eradication of domestic violence, and awareness campaigns to educate both workers and employers about their respective rights and obligations.
They urged the Sindh government to prioritize the enactment of this legislation in 2023 to ensure the social safety and well-being of domestic workers.
The workshop highlighted the alarmingly high proportion of women and children among domestic workers, emphasizing the need for targeted measures to protect their health and safe
ty.
Participants commended the Sindh government’s 2014 labor policy, which established a minimum age limit of 14 years for domestic work and outlined specific provisions for child workers under the age of 18. They acknowledged similar legislation enacted in Punjab in 2019 and later on at the federal level to address the plight of domestic workers and now needed in Sindh.
Identifying illiteracy and poverty as the primary factors driving individuals into domestic work, participants expressed concern about the low wages and lack of leave entitlements often faced by these workers. They presented various proposals for the new legislation, emphasizing the need for comprehensive protection and improved working conditions for domestic workers.