26 % women workers either terminated or suspended during ongoing lockdown in wake of COVID-19.

ISLAMABAD -- Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) has urged the federal and provincial governments to take immediate actions to ensure that private employers do not terminate or suspend the employment of workers, particularly women during the ongoing lockdown in the wake of COVID-19.

According to a news release issued on Labour Day, FAFEN, which is supported by the Trust for Democratic Education and Accountability, has reported serious violations of the guidelines issued by the federal and provincial governments in connection with the protection of the rights of workers during the COVID-19 lockdown.

A survey of working women revealed that 26 percent of 904 respondents were terminated from their jobs after the announcement of the lockdown by the government. Of the workers who lost their jobs,14 percent were permanently laid off while the services of the remaining 12 percent were temporarily suspended. The factory workers had the highest ratio among those whose jobs were terminated.

The survey was conducted between April 15 and April 30, 2020, in eight districts across the country including Faisalabad, Haripur, Lahore, Sialkot, Peshawar, Rahimyar Khan, Quetta, and Karachi.

The survey respondents included factory workers, salespersons, and employees of private schools, hospitals, and other commercial establishments. Of the women interviewed, seven percent were daily wage workers, 85 percent were working on monthly wages and the remaining were paid on bimonthly or weekly basis.

Estimates by Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) suggest the pandemic may push another 71 million people below the poverty line and may cost 18 million workers their jobs. The daily wagers and contract workers are most vulnerable during this health and economic crisis.

Layoffs and suspensions of workers are happening despite the federal and provincial governments' announcements of multiple tax rebates, easy credits, and utilities' relief schemes for the large and small businesses.

Sindh and Balochistan governments have issued categorical...