LAHORE: The International Labour Organization (ILO) launched on Wednesday its reports `Situation Analysis of Domestic Workers in Pakistan` and the `Female Labour Force Survey` at a hotel.

David Gilles, head of the Aid, Department of Foreign Affairs Trade and Development, Canada, said the involvement of more women in the economy and labour force was integral for the development of a country.

`Not only does it help empower women, it also promotes gender equality which is what we have tried to do in canada as well, said Mr Gills, who was chief guest at the launch. `The evidence provided by the reports do matter and they matter for all stakehold-ers. But I applaud the ef forts of all successive governments in Pakistan who have tried to encourage more and more women entering the workforce,` he said.

He mentioned the measures such as the registration of several unions, including those of home based workers, encouraging.

He said such route would grant women workers with economic security, and an easy access to nutrition and health.

ILO representatives and researchers said that domestic work was a critical source of employment for millions of women and children. But this work is not respected enough and is not rewarded properly.

`Domestic workers are not respected, or socially accepted, nor are they given their due rights and recognition,` said Ali Raza Kazmi, the researcher. Hepresented a study which showed that the domestic workers` numbers were still not properly known because they were not registered.

He said they had interviewed over 1,500 workers and found that most of them were facing lack of legal protection, exposure to unhealthy and unprotected working conditions, violence and abuse at work, no contractual agreements, indefinite working hours, unclear terms and conditions, no minimum wages, weak collective bargaining position, no labour inspection and law enforcement, forced labour and trafficking of domestic workers and exclusion from social safety nets.

For a better working condition for domestic workers, the Women`s Development Department and the ILO havestarted working with stakeholders to design a comprehensive skills development package Decent Work for Domestic Workers (DW4DW). The programme will enable them: to find betterjobs, to create a stature in their work life, to attain more respect among employers, and to also be certified as a skilled worker.

A panel discussion highlighted the versions of an employer and a domestic worker.

Qaisara Sheikh, who represented employers, said that a major concern was petty stealing from houses by the domestic workers. There was also no way of holding background checks and most of the domestic workers had to be trained. She said if domestic workers were trained it would be a relief for employers.

Khwaja Nauman fromEmployers Federal Association of Pakistan stated that Pakistan`s priorities were in concentrating on the formal sector because that issue must be resolved first.

However the Director Labour Department Tahir Manzoor said that there was no reason why basic rights of domestic workers should not be realised and they should not be declared `workers` under the law. He said the government was already working on these issues.

Zahoor Awan from the Pakistan Workers Federation said that consultations with the government had succeeded in forming the first domestic workers union. `We also understand the fears and issues of the employers, but sensitivity is required more on their front because domestic workers have worse issues in most cases, andwhich must not be exploited,` he said.

MPA Shaista Parvez Malik said she would support the bill on domestic workers in the assembly and try to push it forward.

WOMEN LABOURERS: In the study on women in labour as a whole, statistics given by the ILO say that only 27 percent of women are employed in the government sector while the private sector has employed 73 percent. Major restricting factors for women in labour force participation include family restrictions (48%), self restriction (15%) and lack of skills (12%). Moreover distances and lack of transport have decreased the access to information and scope of employment.

Average monthly income of a woman is Rs13,209 and women feel empowered with a job in hand.