Sindh Women Agriculture Workers Act represents a powerful tool for transforming these deeply rooted inequitable relationships,” said Sindh Human Rights Secretary Tahseen Fatima.

She was addressing a meeting of Provincial Stakeholders Alliance for Women Agricultural Workers organized by Awaz CDS-Pakistan and Nari Foundation in collaboration with Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC) at a local hotel on Tuesday.

The meeting was attended by representatives of civil society organizations (CSOs), government agencies, social workers, media, academia and lawyers.

She emphasized that the legislation provides a framework for challenging traditional power monopolies that have long disadvantaged agricultural workers, particularly women.

The Human Rights Secretary expressed optimism about achieving meaningful change through coordinated governmental action.

“When government departments work in harmony and with genuine commitment, we can effectively tackle these systemic issues,” she noted, emphasizing that interdepartmental collaboration would be crucial for advancing and protecting labour rights in the agricultural sector.

Reju Mal from the Labour Department provided an overview of the Sindh Women Agricultural Workers Act of 2018, which seeks to extend labour rights traditionally reserved for formal sector workers to agricultural workers. ‘For the first time, the Sindh Industrial Relations Act 2013 has recognized agricultural and fishermen as formal workers, allowing them to unionize,’ Mr. Mal emphasized

Additionally, he noted the inclusion of religious workers in the Labour Code signifies a milestone for labour equity. He said the government is amending this law, which would cover both male and female workers in the agriculture sector.

The Labor Department’s focus on integrating agricultural labour under broader labour rights frameworks aims to address critical gaps in the sector. Currently, agricultural labourers lack many protections available to formal sector workers.

Professor Ismail Kumbhar from Sindh Agriculture University, Tando Jam underscored the importance of educating women workers about their rights, especially in the poultry and agricultural sectors, where working conditions remain challenging.

He proposed extending the Benazir Card to landless labourers as women in these roles often work 18-hour days with minimal protections. He called for improved safety standards and access to resources like water and land control, particularly for women who have acquired land but lack infrastructure support.

Anwar Mahar of NARI Foundation shared insights into the Women’s Agriculture Council’s activities in Sukkur, detailing efforts to support the council’s advocacy initiatives to empower women in rural agriculture.