Rural Sindh's Women Face Unyielding Social and Economic Injustice
Women in Sindh's rural areas are struggling under the weight of social and economic injustice, exacerbated by the ineffective implementation of laws aimed at protecting them from bonded labor and exploitation.
- Country:
- Pakistan
Women and girls, along with key sectors like health, education, and agriculture in Sindh province, are severely impacted by the dominance of feudal and tribal leaders in legislative and bureaucratic institutions, The News International reported. At a Karachi Press Club press conference, Hari Welfare Association President Akram Ali Khaskheli highlighted the widespread victimization of rural women, stating they suffer from social, economic, and political injustice due to the failure to implement pro-peasant laws.
Khaskheli cited the ineffective enforcement of the Sindh Bonded Labour System Abolition Act 2015, which forces peasants to seek court intervention yearly to free family members from landlord custody. Between 2014 and 2023, 12,116 bonded laborers were freed from the agriculture sector, with 33 percent being women. These women endure economic exploitation, physical abuse, and denial of rights such as education, voting, and marital autonomy, The News International reported.
The establishment of district vigilance committees under the Sindh Bonded Labour System Abolition Act has fallen short of its goal to rescue and support bonded laborers. Samina Khaskheli, joint secretary of the Azad Hariani Labour Union, highlighted that despite the Sindh government's minimum wage mandate of PKR 37,000 per month, agricultural and female workers still earn less than PKR 10,000 for 12-hour workdays, The News International reported.
A similar report by Dawn indicated that women farmers in rural Sindh have limited access to financial resources such as loans and subsidies, restricting their capacity to modernize farming methods. Dependence on traditional techniques persists due to a lack of capital and modern equipment, according to ANI.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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