DECENT WORK FOR WOMEN AGRICULTURE WORKERS
More than half million women cotton pickers are engaged in cotton pickers in Sindh. Their social and economic rights are exploited. They are working with very low wages which is far low than the existing market rate and their working conditions are also miserable. SCF believes that for the prosperous community and the country, understanding of economic justice is must among both employers and employees and rural agriculture workers. SCF values the economic justice and hence has been working for the economic justice for women cotton pickers. It has been successful to some extend such as organizing them in a group and registering them as a trade union so that they can voice out for securing the increased wage and raise voice for wage fixation in the legislation and improving their working environment securing the safety nets while they are on duty. SCF has supported 10 women group get registered with labor department, these are the first ever trade unions of women cotton pickers in province..
Organizing Women Cotton Workers and Labor Rights Education
SCF has also carried out advocacy for the rights of women cotton pickers. SCF has organized more than 3000 women cotton pickers on labor rights, collective bargaining and negotiation skills to negotiate fair wages and improved working conditions of women cotton pickers during the picking. SCF has expanded this model to link up with climate change adaptation for these women cotton workers along with offseason poverty reduction support . In this regards SCF has partnered with ASIAN VENTURE PHILANTHROPY NETWORK LIMITED to implement project Advancing labor rights of women cotton workers in rising temperature and climate change impacts in Sindh. SCF has to provide 1050 with income generation training for economic resilience in the changing climate in the area and its worst impacts on the livelihoods.
Literacy Centers Setup for Women Cotton Pickers
SCF has set 27 literacy centers for women cotton pickers in Matiari district of Sindh in order to improve basic literacy among the rural women. The initiative has been named “Suhaee” which literary means “light”. These literacy centres have been established in the 30 villages of district Matiari . In thses centers 1025 women cotton workers are enrolled and gaining literacy skills. A total of 359 women cotton workers from 10 Suhaee centres have completed the basic literacy classes. The six-month literacy package has enhanced their literacy level and social consciousness to apply in daily lives. The project has resulted positively. SCF has engaged local female literacy facilitators to run literacy classes. workers in literacy programs . This is the scaling the previous pilot project to reach more women. SCF designed a six-month basic literacy course, which has also been approved by the Sindh government. Each centre has 30 to 35 women learners. SCF has got partnership with AVPN to train 1025 women cotton workers.
Leadership training for Women Cotton Pickers
SCF believe that leadership skills leads to confidence, effective communication to negotiate their rights protection and decent work. SCF has trained more 60 women cotton workers office bearers of the trade unions formed by SCF in the areas of leadership and communication skills. This has increased their confidence to negate their rights with growers. They have also run advocacy campaign for climate safety and protection, occupational health and safety for their workers.
SCF has also provided leadership training to the active women members office bearers on leadership and how to run the trade unuions. The practical training on leadership skills as well networking and advocacy skills in local language. Through the role play exercise, the participants enhanced their leadership skills and confidence to raise their concerns to growers, government and other relevant stakeholders. The SCF conducted regular follow up meetings with the existing and the newly formed women cotton pickers group and also interactions with government and labor department and relevant stakeholders. The leadership training strengthened the networking of the women leaders of women cotton workers trade unions and built their confidence and communication skills to lead the group and raise the voice on the issues of women cotton workers with the growers and government bodies etc. Consequently, the government and the labor department have committed to initiating social protection schemes that incorporate health insurance and compensation for the cotton workers. The combined impact of rights education, literacy programs, and advocacy initiatives has had a positive effect on the lives of women cotton workers, fostering increased confidence, understanding, and a platform for their voices to be heard. Consequently, this has contributed to improved labor rights and social protection, ultimately leading to decent working conditions for these women.
