Awareness seminars on FPRW for Cotton Growing Communities.

KARACHI -- Ms. Ingrid Christensen, Country Director ILO emphasized upon the need to make farming better by ensuring that children don't do hazardous work, there is no forced or bonded labour, decent working conditions for both men and women are provided and that farmers can join trade unions as they wish. She further stated that the farmers and workers need to be aware of health and safety risks and it is important that the workers and farmers working in the field are safe and healthy at work.

She said this while addressing participants of the Awareness Raising Seminars on FPRW for Cotton Growing Communities. The Seminars were organized by the Employer's Federation of Pakistan(EFP) in collaboration with the ILO Pakistan Office, through its Project on 'Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (FPRW)' funded by INDITEX at Mirpur Khas and Sanghar respectively. Ms. Ingrid Congratulated EFP for organizing these Seminars and said that the sensitization of workers and farmers through these Seminars on FPRW will go a long way in ensuring decent work in the rural community and can bring a positive revolution in our agricultural economy.

112 participants (male 101, female 11) representing progressive farmers, representative of Labour and Human Resource Department- Government of Sindh, , officials of livestock department and agriculture department, Employers' Federation of Pakistan (EFP), representatives of NTUF, Pakistan Workers' Federation (PWF), local civil society actively contributed in the discussions and showed keen interest in the dissemination of labour legislation, OSH practices particularly relevant to the rural cotton communities.

Ghulfam Nabi Memon and Mr. Ashraf Ali Naqvi former Joint Directors, Department of Labour-Sindh and Resource Persons of the Seminars, through their presentations, sensitized the participants and informed them about their constitutional and legislative rights as well as remedies available within the national laws and relevant regulating institutions related to child labour, forced labour, discrimination, freedom of association, collective bargaining, occupational safety and health and Decent Work. Also, information about existing channels to secure...