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KARACHI, Oct 31 (APP): HomeNet Pakistan organized the Women Home-Based Workers (HBWs) Convention – Sindh here on Friday at the National Institute of Labor Administration Training (NILAT), to mark International Home-Based Workers Day and celebrate 25 years of the HBWs movement in Pakistan.
The event gathered government officials, NGOs, labor experts, doctors, and women home-based workers under the slogan: “Home-Based Workers Demand Immediate Ratification of ILO C-177 and C-190.”
Participants emphasized the critical role of Pakistan’s nearly 20 million home-based workers—mostly women—who contribute to sectors like garments, textiles, and handicrafts, yet continue to face low wages, lack of recognition, and unsafe working conditions.
Provincial Coordinator of HomeNet Pakistan, Maheen Arif welcomed participants and reflected on the 2000 Kathmandu Declaration, where South Asian countries pledged to improve the lives of HBWs.
She highlighted HomeNet Pakistan’s two decades of efforts to organize women workers and advocate for policies that make their contributions visible in the national economy.
She remarked, “Home-based workers are the backbone of the economy and play a crucial role in the global supply
chain, particularly in the garment and textile sectors.”
HBWs leader Fouzia discussed the Sindh Home-Based Workers Act 2018—the first of its kind in South Asia—which recognizes HBWs as formal workers entitled to minimum wages, maternity benefits, and social protection. She stressed that despite this progress, the implementation
process remains slow as registration forms have yet to be entered, leaving workers without legal
status.