72pc working women face health issues

LAHORE
About 72 percent women working in the informal sector face health problems resulting in work with posture-related problems, joints' pains and eye- problems being the most common. Three-fourths have not undergone any medical treatment for their ailments.”
This was shared by representatives of the CSO addressing a joint press conference organised to commemorate the Global Week of Action for Safer Workplaces for Women in the informal sector.
The press conference on “Demanding Safer Workplace for Women in Informal Sector” was organised by HomeNet Pakistan to launch the Global Week of Action for Safer Workplace, a global campaign initiated by the IUF for healthy, safe and dignified working conditions for housekeepers around the world.
Representatives from media, women workers union, trade unions, federation and civil society including women working in the informal sector representing the women forum participated in the conference.
Ume Laila Azhar, Executive Director HomeNet Pakistan, shared a brief overview of Global Week of Action for Safe Workplace for Informal Sector Women, she added that national occupational safety and health culture is one in which the right to a safe and healthy working environment is respected at all levels where governments, employers and workers actively participate in securing a safe and healthy working environment through a system of defined rights, responsibilities and duties and where the highest priority is accorded to the principle of prevention for informal sector.
“The Punjab government should take up the Occupational Health and Safety policy and law for HBWs in the next session of the assembly and approve it on war footings”. The Punjab government has notified the Provincial Occupational Safety and Health Council which need to take some proactive actions with regard to the protection of women working in different sectors of life. Referring to the recent South Asian study on Social

Protection Risk and Vulnerability of Home-based Workers in South Asia 2014 Regional Report - South Asia covering Lahore and Karachi along with other cities of South Asia, she said “the general state of health of women in the informal setup was lower as 29% meaning they suffered from medical conditions and 62% of the aliments had lasted over two years.” “We urge Government to include safer workplace applicable for informal sector workers under occupational, safety and health laws.
Azra Shad from the Women Workers Helpline said that informal women have excelled in almost every walk of life in progressive societies, she said adding it was achieved due to certain attitudes which were shaped and moulded in decades as to how women should be treated and respected. She lamented that due to adverse circumstances, a large number of women, despite having education and God-gifted abilities, are reluctant to work or do business, which is a national loss. The government must allocate budget to establish daycare centres for informal women workers at their workplaces
Aima Mehmud from the Women Workers Union said the society should change its attitude towards the working women to make the working environment safer and conducive for the womenfolk. She added that practical implementation of women friendly laws; we need to prepare a concrete plan to readdress issues related to harassment.
The horizon of safer working environment must be clear to women workers; they must raise their voice for issues related to gender discrimination, equal wages, unavailability of toilets and safe drinking water at workplace.
The women workers from different sectors highlighted the issues related to their health and unsafe work conditions at their workplaces. The home-based workers added that they are facing extreme situation of hypertension, stress and diseases related to weak immune system, TB, hepatitis B and C due to wastage of dangerous chemicals during their work .The women also shared that they are contributing half as compared to their men in monthly income generation process, their income is mostly utilised for childrens’ health and education and basic necessities of life. Pakistan has not ratified the ILO 183 ad 187 conventions yet, it’s the right time to include the OHS issues in existing policy of home-based workers or we need to formulate a separate policy on the OHS for informal sector workers.
The country cannot achieve the target of economic growth without due participation of women in the economic activities as they constitute more than half of Pakistan's population. We should create a secure, harassment free environment for working women so that they can play their role in economic development of the country with a peace of mind."
The women and speakers vowed for the inclusion of the OSH issues in existing policy and ratify the IL0 183 and 187 for workers' social security benefits.
The women workers also led an advocacy walks holding play cards with the demands Greater visibility and recognition # Legal and Social protection # decent standard of living # Better housing Scheme # Safe Working Environments # Ensure Occupational Safety and Health # Ensure protection of informal sector women from harassment and violence, # Equal wages # Equal Opportunities.