Faisalabad: December 6, 2014. (PCP) The government must take effective measures to monitor the brick kilns and factories especially, and enforce existing labour laws in letter and spirit to stop exploitation of workers’ rights. The government must protect rights of home-based workers, domestic workers and ensure maternity benefits through ratification and implementation of ILO conventions C-177, C-189 & C 183 respectively, and bring them under regulation to extend social and legal protection coverage to workers engaged in informal sector. These demands were made by the trainers during a 3-day training workshop entitled “Enhancing Awareness on Women Rights and Labour Laws” held at unity hall in Faisalabad on November 28-30, 2014. The event was hosted by the Association of Women for Awareness and Motivation (AWAM), implementing project of “Enhancing Women Workers’ Awareness on their Rights & Labor Laws” under the Gender Equity Program (GEP) of Aurat Foundation by the support of the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The event was joined by women workers from formal and informal sectors including; factory workers, lady health workers, brick-kiln workers, home-based workers and domestic workers. The purpose of the training workshop was to enhance awareness and knowledge of women workers on labor rights and related laws and policies particularly women-specific provisions, and improve their leadership capacities. Speaking on the occasion, the general secretary of Muthida Labour Federation, Hanif Ramay said, “A struggle in a right direction for rights always achieves its goals. Therefore, women workers must unite, organize themselves under a trade union or association, improve their knowledge and skills, and speak out through building a strong unified voice in defense of their rights.” “The government must ensure the issuance of Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC), social security cards and EOBI cards for all workers by registering them with government departments,” he demanded. The director of the AWAM, Nazia Sardar said, “Home-based workers and domestic workers are denied any form of legal protection, including a minimum wage guarantee, social security and EOBI benefits, for not having a status of a worker.” “The home-based workers must be provided opportunities to market their goods without the involvement of middle-men, and the processes for the registration of unions in the informal sector must be simplified,” she demanded. The project manager of the AWAM, Shazia George said, “Educating women workers about labour should be focus of efforts to realize their basic rights as they will not be able to stand for their rights without knowledge about labor rights and workers’ issues.” “Every labor policy must have a separate section for the women workers which may also include timeframe and an action plan for the implementation of pro-women provisions. Women should also be represented in the provincial minimum wages boards,” she demanded. A labor rights advocate, Naseem Anthony said, “Focusing on organizing women workers through promotion of their right to freedom of association and bargain collectively may help them raise voice against exploitation and to fight for their legal rights. There is need to take advocacy initiatives for the protection of workers’ rights, because advocacy is an effective tool to bring about a positive change in the society.” “The government departments including; labor, Employees Social Security Institutions (ESSI) and Employees Old-age Benefits Institution (EOBI) are not strong enough to effectively enforce labor laws in letter and spirit to stop exploitation of workers’ rights. That is why, most factories and brick kilns are still unregistered and labour laws/policies are violated in Pakistan which deprive workers from their rights and employment benefits,” he added. The grant holder of GEP, Sumera Saleem said, “The government must enact labor laws and policies after consultation with all the stakeholders, whereas it is necessary to avoid vague and absurd terminology in terms of work as it can lead to exploitation.” A women rights activist, Zarfishan Nasir said, “The sufferings of the working class will not come to an end unless workers get united and launch campaign against repression and exploitation.”