Human rights activists stress the need of providing rights to the sanitary workers.

Byline: YounisChandio

HYDERABAD -- Human rights activists demanded to link sanitary workers with social security, make bound contractors to get these workers registered with this institution, so the workers may get facilities and live with dignity. There is provision that in case of death of sanitation workers they may get Rs 500,000 compensation as per the social security law. But they are being deprived of this right. Apart from this, there should be budget allocation for the social wellbeing of these poor workers, who visibly seem declared untouchable in the society. They were speaking at the provincial conference Stand up for the rights of sanitary workers on the occasion of international human rights day.

The event was organized jointly by Strengthening Participatory Organization and Sindh Human Rights commission (SHRC) at a local hotel in Hyderabad. Justice (Retd) MajidaRazvi chaired the conference, while Zulfiqar Shah, Joint Director Pakistan Institute of Labor Education and Research (PILER), ShafiqGhauri, President Sindh Labor Federation, Amar Sindh, social activist, PirbhuSatyani, SPO regional coordinator, researcher ZeeniaShaukt, community activist BootaImtiaz, PunhalSario, Zulfiqar Halepoto, M Parkash Advocate and others spoke on the occasion.

They all urged for promotion of Social Well-Being of Sanitary Workers in Sindh, who are facing hardships in terms of health risk. Justice (Retd) Majida Rizvi Chairperson Sindh Human Rights Commission (SCHC) in her opening remarks said they receive more cases of sanitary workers, who work without safety kits during manhole cleaning. They look vulnerable in terms of unavailability of safety kits and proper wages and clean gutters. Now SPO and SHRC are going to distribute safety kits among 250 sanitary workers in Hyderabad. But the main problems facing sanitary workers, include job security, wages, health insurance, law amendments, she said.

We want to ensure rights and safety of these workers on equal basis. SHRC wants to help them in legislation designing, we are conducting research to see gaps in legislation and provision of health insurance either group short time basis so they may stay safe. She said Sindh Government has formulated compensation mechanism for these workers, but they are unable to implement the same. We are working to see the law and want to get it implemented soon, she assured. Zulfiqar Shah, Joint Director PILER sharing research findings said there is importance of these...