Incomplete protections | Political Economy

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In the midst of Pakistan’s ongoing debt crisis, economic vulnerabilities have intensified for the most marginalized sections of society, particularly home-based workers (HBWs). As the country grapples with a strained economy and austerity measures, female HBWs are bearing the brunt of an increasingly hostile economic environment. Although legislative progress has been made, laws have been passed in Sindh and Punjab that recognize HBWs and are intended to protect them, but the absence of an effective social protection framework by them. Increases livelihood uncertainty.

Pakistan’s mounting debt has led to austerity-based economic policies that severely limit public spending, including social welfare programs. This disproportionately affects HBWs as they are largely excluded from the formal social security system. In the absence of targeted support efforts for these workers, the burden of debt provision falls on the most vulnerable, increasing their reliance on informal borrowing to meet basic health and livelihood needs. .

While the Sindh Home-Based Workers Act (2018) and the Punjab Home-Based Workers Act (2023) represent progress, along with the KP and Balochistan Acts 2021 and 2022 respectively, implementation remains weak. These laws were designed to offer labor rights and protections, but without concrete social protection mechanisms, such as access to health care, maternity benefits and pensions, female HBWs remain trapped in a cycle of poverty. The challenge now is to translate legislative recognition into meaningful enforcement and financial protections.

With the absence of social protection mechanisms, female HBWs lack access to social protection mechanisms that can reduce the risks they face, including health risks and economic insecurity. Existing social safety nets, such as the Benazir Income Support Program, are not adequately tailored to the specific needs of these HBWs. There is an urgent need for comprehensive social security systems that provide health insurance, pensions and child support to domestic workers, especially women, to secure their financial security in the face of the national debt crisis.

The lack of comprehensive social protection for HBWs is indicative of the broader problem of economic inequality in Pakistan. As the debt crisis deepens, investing in social protection for marginalized workers, especially women in the informal economy, is critical to promoting economic resilience. Recognizing HBWs as legitimate partners in the economy and giving them access to the social safety net is not only a matter of justice but also a sound economic strategy in times of financial uncertainty.

Lack of social protection for women HBWs also hinders the country’s progress towards achieving several key goals SDGs, including:

SDG 1: No poverty.

Female HBWs remain at greater risk of poverty due to exclusion from social security schemes. By failing to provide economic protections, Pakistan risks slowing its progress towards poverty reduction, especially in the context of economic instability arising from the debt crisis.

Female HBWs are often hidden in national labor statistics. Despite policy provisions, they remain excluded from social security schemes and economic protections.

SDG 5: Gender Equality

Achieving gender equality requires addressing the specific challenges faced by women in the informal economy. The economic and social marginalization of female HBWs negates the commitment to ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership, as outlined in SDG 5.

SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth

HBWs play an important role in Pakistan’s informal economy, yet they lack access to decent work, which is at the core of SDG 8. Without including HBWs in formal labor protections, including safe working environments and fair wages, the goal of decent work for all cannot be met.

SDG 10: Reducing inequality

Women HBWs are among the most marginalized workers in Pakistan, facing economic inequality and lack of representation. The SDG 10 goal of reducing inequality, especially for marginalized groups, cannot be achieved without providing labor rights and social protection to female HBWs.

The National Labor Framework seeks to protect workers’ rights and improve working conditions. However, it focuses heavily on the formal sector, leaving HBWs, who form a significant part of the informal economy, largely outside its protection scope. Sindh Home Based Workers Act (2018) and Punjab Home Based Workers Act 2023, KPK HBWs Act 2021 and Balochistan HBWs Act 2022 are important steps in right direction to mainstream more than 20 million HBWs in Pakistan but ensure inclusive inclusion. Failed to make. of HBWs in national labor regulations.

The informal economy constitutes a large part of Pakistan’s workforce, and HBWs, including women, constitute a large part of this sector. Yet, without proper recognition and integration of HBWs into the national labor framework, women lack access to basic labor rights, minimum wage protections, health care and pensions. This disconnect between policy and implementation is exacerbated by the national debt crisis, which limits public investment in social protection programs for informal workers.

The National Gender Framework emphasizes women’s economic empowerment and gender equality in line with the government’s commitment to reduce gender disparities in all sectors. The plight of female HBWs highlights the gap between gender policy aspirations and actual outcomes. Female HBWs are often hidden in national labor statistics. Despite policy provisions, they remain excluded from social security schemes and economic protections.

For female HBWs, the national gender framework should serve as a primary tool to ensure their inclusion in national labor policies and social protection programs. However, the absence of a comprehensive mechanism that addresses the specific needs of women in the informal sector—such as maternity benefits, health care, and child care support—means that economic empowerment is very difficult. It is beyond the reach of people. The current debt crisis exacerbates this gap, making female HBWs more vulnerable to economic shocks and exploitation. Pakistan’s National Labor and Gender Framework, along with its commitment to the SDGs, offers an opportunity to address the structural inequalities faced by HBWs, especially women. However, the current national debt crisis calls for urgent action to protect these workers from further economic vulnerability. By fully integrating HBWs into the National Labor Framework, ensuring that the National Gender Framework delivers on its promise of economic empowerment for women, and aligning with the SDGs, Pakistan will not can not only protect the rights of HBWs but also promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

The author can be contacted at lailazharali@gmail.com.