Approximately a quarter of Pakistan’s women workforce have been fired or suspended since the implementation of COVID-10 lock down, while a majority of those laid off were not paid their dues.
According to a survey of 904 respondents conducted by the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) between April 15-30, 26% of the women workforce has either been terminated or suspended and of those, 14% lost their jobs permanently whereas 12% were temporarily laid off.
Of the women who were terminated, the largest proportion was of factory workers. Separately, 51% of the total respondents who were laid off said they were awaiting their dues to be cleared by their employers.
The survey results were released on Labour Day, with the FAFEN terming them “serious violations of the guidelines issued by the federal and provincial governments” to protect workers’ rights amid the coronavirus lockdown.
It included respondents from Faisalabad, Haripur, Lahore, Sialkot, Peshawar, Rahimyar Khan, Quetta, and Karachi, with their professions ranging from factory workers, salespersons, and employees of private schools, hospitals, and other commercial establishments. At least 7% were daily wagers, 85% paid on a monthly basis, and 8% on a weekly or bimonthly basis.
FAFEN has raised alarm over the dismal report, urging “the federal and provincial governments to take immediate actions to ensure that employers do not terminate or suspend the employment of workers, particularly women during the ongoing lockdown in the wake of COVID-19”.
