LAHORE: The South Asia Partnership, Pakistan (SAP-PK), a not-for-profit organisation, on Friday distributed awards among 15 women peasants and workers in recognition of their efforts for mobilising women about their rights.

The organisation distributed awards at a conference titled “A tribute to the struggle of women peasants and workers” at Alhamra on The Mall here in connection with Labour Day.

The conference was aimed at acknowledging and appreciating the struggle of women peasants and agricultural labourers for their rights and highlighted the issues being faced by them.

Around 250 peasants and workers, representatives of civil society organisations and journalists attended the ceremony.
Labour leaders Mehnaz Rafi, Peter Jacob, Rubina Jamil and Misbah Rashid distributed the awards.

Earlier, SAP-PK coordinator Shabnam Rashid briefed the participants about the conference.

She said that a rural woman was not recognised at official and societal level as peasant or worker.

Shabana Naz from the Aurat Foundation appreciated the initiative to pay tribute to women peasants and workers.

She said that women should assert themselves to be acknowledged as a human being with equal rights. She said that women in Pakistan were facing multiple problems due to rigid and neglecting attitude of society.

All Pakistan Trade Union Federation secretary-general Rubina Jamil said that women workers were not being given rights enshrined in international human rights treaties.

She said Pakistan had yet to initiate legislation on the ILO Convention 177 which was about workers’ contribution to informal economy.

SAP-PK Deputy Director Irfan Mufti said peasants and workers were backbone of the economy but they were living in pathetic conditions.

Source: Dawn

Date:5/7/2011