25 January 2005	Tuesday	14 Zilhaj 1425

ISLAMABAD, Jan 24: The National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) has recommended that the government must ratify the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention on Home Workers that would give recognition to the Home Based Women Workers (HBWWs).

The commission in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) had recently conducted a policy research on "The Status of Home-based Women Workers in Informal Sector".

In its policy recommendations, the commission has called for early ratification of the ILO Convention (No.177) which has not yet been ratified by the government.

The ILO Convention has many provisions which go beyond legal protection and can act as a starting point for the organization of millions of previously unorganized home-based workers. Therefore, ratification of the said convention by Pakistan would certainly bring a drastic change in the status of HBWWs in the country, said the policy research.

It is estimated that in Pakistan 75 per cent of the total informal sector consists of home-based women workers but unfortunately their contribution remains invisible and unrecognised.

The labour policy 2002 for the first time has recognized the home-based work of women while putting on record the fact that they are not covered by any labour welfare organization.

Though the clause provides for the extension of labour welfare coverage to the workers of informal sector such as HBWWs, the said provision is not supported by any action plan. The 10- year Perspective Development Plan 2001-11 is also devoid of development programme in this context, the policy research noted.

It also underlined that gender biases, complete oblivion of government authorities, lack of gender-focused policies and an enabling environment were the main impediments to ensuring a better deal for the HBWWs in Pakistan.

On the face of it, home-based working appears to be a safe business for work but practically HBWWs face multiple challenges, which can be attributed mainly to the socio-cultural traditions that restrict women's mobility.

Lack of proper training from institutions is another big problem for them. In Hazara district, all home-based workers acquired skill on their own through friends, while in Punjab only 40 per cent HBWWs acquired training from institutions, whereas all others have been trained at home by their elder family members.

The commission has also recommended formulation of appropriate policies and programmes to support HBWWs; devise an effective enforcement mechanism and establish a competent body involving public and private bodies at national, provincial and district levels for registration of employers and home-based workers.