ASIA/PAKISTAN - It is necessary to protect the rights of women workers

Fasalabad (Agenzia Fides) - Protecting the rights and dignity of women workers in Pakistan: is what the Pakistani women said during a convention held in Faisalabad on the occasion of International Women's Day. The convention was attended by women involved in politics such as Najma Afzal, Kaneez Ishaq, Khalida Mansoor, and women engaged in civil society such as Nazia Sardar, Director of the "Association for the awareness and motivation of Women" (Awam), which was one of the organizers of the event, conceived as implementation of the project of strengthening of working women, provided within the Program of equal opportunity and gender equity, sponsored by Aurat Foundation.
As Fides learns, Nazia Sardar said that "women have to improve their skills in collective bargaining for their emancipation. The employer must ensure that women have protection and safety, applying the code of conduct against sexual harassment".
The Catholic activist for women's rights, Shazia George, recalled that "women domestic workers have no form of legal protection, including the guarantee of a minimum wage: therefore deserve special attention on behalf of the government".
According to Najma Afzal, elected in the provincial assembly of Punjab, "the government has made significant steps to improving the status of women", while for Kaneez Ashaq, in the same provincial assembly, "there is still a widespread mentality which considers women inferior: women need to focus on improving their skills, fighting for their rights". Opinion supported also by Khalida Mansoor, elected in the national Parliament.
Women have remarked that "the government must protect women against violence that they still suffer in many environments, implementing the national and international instruments for the protection of the rights of workers". (PA) (Agenzia Fides 09/03/2015)