A ‘Women Cyclothon’ titled Puri Ujrat Mera Haq was organized by the Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO) in Islamabad on Thursday in collaboration with the Women Workers Alliance (WWA), Trust for Democratic Education & Accountability (TDEA), and the National Press Club and Maqam International.
The event was aimed at demanding labor rights for working women in Islamabad. Over a hundred people, including students and professionals from academia, civil society, the media, scouts and the girl guides association, the transgender community, and persons with special needs, took part in it.
The cyclists, who comprised more than 50 women, traveled from the National Press Club in F-6 to Super Market, and an even larger number of women walked along with the procession holding placards and banners to advocate for safer working environments, an increase in the minimum wage, and an end to the gender wage gap.
Commenting at the event, Executive Director SSDO, Syed Kausar Abbas, explained that “many women workers find themselves being exploited in the labor market due to a lack of proper implementation of labor laws. They are being both underpaid and overworked, without proper protection mechanisms. Therefore, we need to advocate for the government to ensure the proper implementation of laws that promote conducive working environments for women and stronger monitoring mechanisms”.
“The women workers who came out to this event to raise their voice for their rights are true heroes,” he added.
Prior to the cyclothon, the attendees had congregated outside the Press Club and attended a speech by the Guest of Honour — the District Commissioner (DC) of Islamabad, Hamza Shafqaat. He thanked the female attendees and remarked that the cyclothon is an extraordinary initiative for the promotion of women’s empowerment.
He affirmed that the government is dedicated to protecting the rights of working women and revealed that it will also establish committees in Islamabad to monitor the conduciveness of working environments for women.
The WWA, which is a group of women workers from 14 districts of Pakistan with provincial coalitions and bodies, announced its Charter of Demands at the event, the main points of which were:
- Wage equality for work of equal value and discrimination in gender-based employment must be included in federal and provincial laws, and the Labour Department must ensure compliance through labor inspection.
- Compatible punishments along with substantial fines for violation of equal remuneration and discrimination in employment must be added to the law to create sufficient deterrence against such practices.
- All employees must have a right to an annual increment based on their quality of work and increases in the cost of living.
- Increased representation of women in several governmental decision-making bodies, especially in the ones that deal with labor and employment.
WWA member, Mussarat Jabeen, stressed that the minimum wage must be reevaluated and recalculated in cognizance of the escalating cost of living, particularly in urban areas, and the rapidly rising inflation. She clarified that this would ensure a minimum wage that is livable and a decent lifestyle that can afford basic necessities.
Educationist and WWA member, Mehar Nigar, highlighted that the quotas for women in different governmental bodies and employment in departments are much lower than their actual equivalence of 48 in the population.
Secretary National Press Club, Khalil Ahmed Raja, and Vice President National Press Club, Myra Imran, lauded the Deputy Commissioner’s initiative of establishing committees to monitor Islamabad’s public and private workplaces to ascertain the labor rights of women.
