FAISALABAD, June 11th: The Labour Department has decided to initiate proceedings against all industrial units accused of making female employees work more than 12 hours a day. The decision follows complaints by various workers’ representatives and Labour Qaumi Movement (LQM). It has been alleged that a majority of export-oriented units in garments and cotton fabric sectors deprive female workers of their legitimate rights as outlined in labour laws. According to the labour laws, duty hours for a female worker were limited to 42 hours a week. However, it was revealed that most female workers were being forced to work over 90 hours a week. At the same time, these workers were not provided social security facilities, old age benefits and other facilities. LQM Chairman Muhammad … [Read more...]
Awareness about Harassment Act stressed
LAHORE, June 4: THE Gender Audit Report issued by the gender reform action plan Women Development Department, Government of the Punjab has ruled that even establishing harassment committees, has not helped a great deal as they have not been made functional. The report stressed the need of more awareness stating that there should be training and seminars for awareness of employees and also for general public on the topics of legislation on the Harassment Act, paternity leave, women friendly environment and gender sensitive behaviour. The DO health said that she feels physically secure due to her senior position. This fact shows that still security measures are needed to be assured where even a single woman is present or women are in minority. Secondly we see that even … [Read more...]
Policewomen seek quota at academy
ISLAMABAD, Dec 31: Seven Pakistani policewomen visiting the United States on invitation of the State Department have urged the parliament to set aside ten per cent of slots in the Police Academy for women and members of minority communities. Taking part in a debate during their visit to the US Institute of Peace, the seven officers said that policewomen in Pakistan were discriminated against and generally lacked access to training and technology, said a press release on Dec 29. They said the policewomen could excel in their profession if they were given the right opportunities. The handout did not name the officers. The seven officers said they felt comfortable while working in an all-woman police station, where they carried out the same work as their male colleagues. They, … [Read more...]
Policewomen get a chance of promotion, at last
PESHAWAR, Dec 26: The policewomen in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa may get chances of promotion as they have been put in the same seniority list along with their male colleagues after 18 years. Although women police were not treated as a separate entity from their male colleagues, yet the two per cent quota reserved for their recruitment had also been applied in their promotion since long, officials said. They said that the practice dwindled chances of promotion for several senior policewomen in the province. “Now the distinction between male and female police personnel has been removed. They are on the same seniority list now,” a senior police official said. There are around 95 policewomen including five assistant sub-inspectors, one sub-inspector, three inspectors and one deputy … [Read more...]
Gender disparities
Oct 22: In Pakistan, labour inspections have traditionally focused on protection of workers working under formal contracts of employment in both public and private sectors. But that makes only 26 percent of the total labour force in Pakistan. One fundamental principle is to include women. Whatever the area of inspection for which evidence is being gathered, it must be made sure that women are represented in the data collection process, ideally in proportion to the number of women in the establishment under inspection. Any data that is collected, is sex disaggregated. Most simply, when recording the total number of employees, list women and men, at all levels, separately. If the number of complaints lodged is being recorded, for instance, try to register the number of complaints … [Read more...]