Home-Based Women Worker's Federation

The Home-Based Women Worker's Federation (HBWWF) is a trade union federation of home-based female workers in Pakistan. its also a first ever trade union of HBWs in Pakistan. The federation had around 4,500 members in 2019.[1]

HBWWF
Home-Based Women Worker's Federation
Founded2009
Location
Members
4,500
Key people
Zehra Khan, General Secretary
AffiliationsWFTU, IndustriALL Global Union Clean Cloth Campaign, Home Net International
Websitehbwwf.org

Home Based Women Workers Federation (HBWWF) is a unique experience in Pakistan’s informal workers' history. It was registered in 2009 December from National Industrial Relation Commission (NIRC) after getting the registration of three unions in the embroidery and Glass bangle industry. member of the federation are engaged with different sectors like Textile Garment, Shoemaking, toy, and sports goods, Glass Bangles, Traditional Embroidery, Zardozi, Stitching, Cropping, Jewelry, Ralli Work, Hanger making, auto parts making, agricultural sector etc.

HBWWF is working on four levels 1. Awareness raising on the issues 2. Unionization/organization 3. Legislation for HBW 4. Skill and capacity building training

The process to organize home-based women workers (HBWW), started in 2005 by conducting study circles with HBWs in different areas of Karachi, Hyderabad, Hub, and Quetta on different issues. We have established cooperatives for HBWW in 2006 in Karachi with garment/textile/embroidery workers and in Hyderabad with glass bangle workers. And in 2016 HBWWF registered its fourth union of HBWs garment and textile workers from Labour Department in Karachi.

It was a unique and historic moment that first time in Pakistan’s labour history women workers has formed their own unions and federation, which is also headed by all the women.

Organisation & affiliates

The federation organizes meetings for awareness and also trainings in skills like Henna art, embroidery etc.[2][3] Study circles often involve discussions on social and economic issues as well as laws for citizens. The Federation also working for the access of HBWs with the old age benefits and worker welfare programs.[4] four Unions affiliated with HBWWF in garment and glass bangle sectors.

HBWWF itself if affiliated with many organizations at the local and international levels. Internationally, it is affiliated with the World Federation of Trade Unions, the IndustriALL Global Union.[5]

History

In September 2009, Zehra Khan started forming unions in the traditional embroidery sectors.[6][7] HBWBWU, organising workers in the glass bangle industry, followed in November 2009.[8][9]

Khan then founded HBWWF on December 30, 2009.[10][11][12] It was the first time that women workers formed a national-level federation.[13][14] Sindh became the first area in South Asia to form legal protection for workers in home-based workers.[15][16]

HBWWF and its members were successful in achieving the Home-Based Workers Act, passed in May 2018.[17][18] The act was a historic moment for Pakistan.[19] The act recognized home-based workers in Sindh as part of the labour force.[20][21][22] The act has made it possible to put responsibility on contractors, protecting the labour force involved in home-based industry.[23][24]

References
  1. "PROFILE: Fighting Forward: Home-based women workers organize in Pakistan". IndustriALL. 2019-11-13. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  2. "International Women's Day: Women workers announce rally in Karachi". MM News TV. 2020-03-06. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  3. Yaseen (2019-10-29). "Workers urged to get organized to end precarious work". National Trade Union Federation. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  4. pakobserver. "home based federation".
  5. Clean Cloth Campaign, Home Net International "Affiliations". HBWWF. Retrieved 2021-03-13.
  6. "Sindh.Home Based Women Workers Federation Archives". Pakistan Press International. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  7. "HBWWF demands practical implementation of Sindh Home-based Worker Act – Daily Balochistan Times". Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  8. "Women that show the way. A conversation with Zehra Akbar Khan of the HBWWF, Pakistan". ∫connessioni (in Italian). Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  9. "Pakistan's International Women's Day march: Inclusive or exclusive?". South Asia@LSE. 2020-05-06. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  10. "NTUF Pakistan: demos and rallies for the WDDW". www.ituc-csi.org. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  11. "Speakers want labour rights for 5 million women workers in Sindh". AP-IRNet. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  12. Aijaz, Chief Editor Nasir (2020-09-12). "Civil Society organizations stage demo in Karachi". Sindh Courier. Retrieved 2020-12-03. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  13. "Invisible no more: Sindh all set to adopt a policy for home-based workers". The Express Tribune. 2017-01-16. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  14. APP (2020-04-28). "World Occupational Health and Safety Day observed". Brecorder. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  15. "HBWWF, Sindh labour department sign MoU with HBWWF to register home-based workers". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  16. NTGent (2020-06-08). "School of Resistance: Distributing Dignity". NTGent. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  17. "Unions hail Pakistan home worker protection law". www.just-style.com. 2018-05-31. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  18. "Workers bodies demand implementation of labour laws in construction sector". The Biz Update. 2020-04-04. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  19. "'Moving mountains': How Pakistan's 'invisible' women won workers' rights". the Guardian. 2020-12-01. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  20. User2. "HBWWF completes 10 years: Rising poverty in Pakistan hits hard working class: Zehra Khan – Pakistan News Releases". Retrieved 2020-12-03. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  21. Reporter, The Newspaper's Staff (2017-01-17). "New Sindh policy on home-based workers lauded". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  22. "HBWWF Demands Practical Implementation Of Sindh Home-based Worker Act". UrduPoint. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  23. "Sindh working on implementation of Home-based Workers Act | Pakistan Today". www.pakistantoday.com.pk. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  24. "Call for early registration of home-based workers". The Nation. 2019-12-15. Retrieved 2020-12-03.


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