International Women’s Day has least impact on working women

LAHORE: International Women’s Day is being celebrated with zeal, but there are several areas in the city where women receive as low as Rs 5 a day for working at least 13 to 14 hours.

International Women’s Day (IWD) has been celebrated across the world since 1975, but the celebration has not helped Pakistani women.

According to a report by Homenet Pakistan – a network of organisations working for the recognition and labour rights of home-based workers – about 80 percent of Pakistan’s workforce is working in home-based industries also known as the informal sector. The share of women in this industry is around 50 percent.

The areas of Shahdra and Kot Lakhpat have the highest number of female workers whose wages are as low as Rs 5 for working 13 to 14 hours a day. The report says that these workers are not even included in the workforce of the country because Pakistan has not ratified the International Labour Organisation convention 177. These workers are vulnerable because there exists no law for them in the country, the report says.

Rasheeda Begum, (55), a resident of Shahdra, is one of such ‘invisible workers’, who wakes up at 5 in the morning and works till midnight. She stitches dolls’ clothes and a middle man pays her Rs 5 a dozen. By working all day long, she can make no more than three dozens. Rasheeda told Daily Times that she had four daughters who helped her. She said in addition to this work she helped her husband sell gol gappay.

“My life has been like this since the age of eight. I used to receive Rs 1 to stitch a floor mat. Now I get Rs 5 for stitching dolls’ clothes,” she said.

Afshan (18), a resident of Baagrian, said she worked along with her four sisters to chop areca nut, known as chaalia, into small pieces which was then sold through a middleman in Bhaati Gate. She said areca nuts were provided by the middleman who paid them Rs 5 for chopping 1 kilogramme.

Naeema (20), and her five sisters prepared traditional embroided clothes known as lehnga. Naeema said preparing one lehnga took them between 15 to 20 days for which they were paid Rs 2,000. “That dress is sold at around Rs 30,000, but we are paid peanuts for preparing it,” she said.

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