LAHORE: A report on agrarian women has highlighted serious issues faced by women in rural areas.

Funded by the EU and with field research by Aurat Foundation, the report titled `Participatory policy assessment on the economic and social rights of agrarian women in Punjab` revealed that women faced a variety of socio-economic problems and challenges, with their work was not being recognised or sometimes not even paid for.

Unfortunately there were no labour laws that protected women in the agriculture sector. This is despite the fact that the country has signed several UN and ILO treaties, and is part of GSP Plus.

Key findings of the report are done on certain areas including the unavailability of gender data, lack of legal and policy framework, social and cultural constraints including dominance of men, women`s ownership of land (99 per cent of women have no land lease agreements), lack of economic agency and knowledge about microfi-nance, low employment and wages (87pc of women receive payment in kind rather than cash), social protection (100pc women do not have access to any food transfer programme), hazardous working conditions including physical abuse, etc.

Women are engaged in agricultural development through participation in farm operations and livestock farming, performing tasks which include fetching water, fuel, rice sowing and dairy production, harvesting cotton, fruits and vegetables. They work during pregnancy, and most of the time do not get leave after delivery. These women are also subject to harassment in public places, unequal treatment and are underpaid for their otherwise immense contribution as a whole.

According to the report, on average women spend around 12 to 15 hours in daily working. Half of them are engaged in farms and other labour while 75pc [of them] do not receive payments for their work. Former president of Mongolia, Tskhlagin Elbgdore, was the chief guest at the launch event.