Maintaining a balance between rights and duties of landlords and farmers is a prerequisite for addressing issues in the cotton supply chain.” This was stated by Bhavani Shankar, senior scientist department of agriculture, the government of Sindh; who was speaking as the chief guest at the multi-stakeholder’s seminar on gender discrimination at Mirpurkhas.
The seminar was organized by the Employers’ Federation of Pakistan with technical assistance from ILO at a local hotel in Mirpurkhas under the project “Promoting Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (FPRW) in the cotton Supply Chain.”
Gulfaam Nabi Mohammad, former joint director of labor government of Sindh, in his presentation explained various dimensions of gender discrimination in the cotton supply chain and generated an informative discussion among the participants on issues and challenges faced by workers in the cotton supply chain.
The seminar was attended by over a hundred participants; 60% were drawn from women and representatives from Mirpurkhas landlord association, government, academia, cotton-growing communities, and media also attended the seminar.
Earlier, Fasihul Karim Siddiqui, senior advisor EFP welcomed the participants and explained the objectives of the seminar. Ijaz Ahmed, National project coordinator of ILO while addressing the gathering explained the ILO’s project on promoting FPRW in the cotton supply chain and facilitating the group discussion.
During the group discussion, the participants highlighted the challenges, opportunities, and gender-based needs in the context of COVID-19, which have been further accentuated by the impact of recent rains and floods in the province.
The seminar improved the understanding of the participants on gender-based discrimination.
Towards the conclusion of the seminar, a collective bargaining agreement was signed between the Mirpurkhas employers (small landlords) association and their farmers and workers The agreement focused on their mutual collaboration to facilitate the restoration of agricultural activity after the havoc created by rains and floods in Mirpurkhas.
The agreement also resolved to promote FPRWs in the cotton Supply chain and resolved for joint efforts to improve agricultural productivity so that its benefits can be used to ensure the social protection of workers and improvement of their working conditions, health, and safety.
Maula Buksh Laghari, President Mirpurkhas small landlord’s association assured that the members of his association and their workers will jointly work to improve the provisions of the Agreement.
Siddiqui congratulated the landlord’s association for entering into the landmark venture of the collective bargaining activity and hope that this will create a new history of growth in the cotton supply chain through employer-worker partnership. The meeting concluded with a note of thanks from Ubaidullah Kori.
