Women and Girls in Sindh Face Hardships Due to Feudal and Tribal Systems
In Sindh, Pakistan, women and girls are suffering due to the dominance of feudal and tribal leaders in social, economic, and political systems. Akram Ali Khaskheli, President of the Hari Welfare Association, highlighted the ineffective implementation of laws like the Sindh Bonded Labour System Abolition Act 2015. Despite the law, many peasants, including women, face economic exploitation and physical abuse.
Khaskheli stated that 12,116 bonded labourers were liberated from the agriculture sector between 2014-2023, with 33 percent of them being women. These women faced significant hardship, including economic exploitation, physical abuse, and denial of their rights to education, voting, and choosing their own husbands.
Samina Khaskheli, joint secretary of the Azad Hariani Labour Union, complained that agricultural and female workers are still earning less than Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 10,000 per month despite working 12-hour days. She said that workers were receiving PKR 10,000 despite the Sindh government’s setting up a minimum wage of PKR 37,000 per month.
According to a similar report, women farmers typically have less access to financial resources, like loans and subsidies, which restrict their ability to invest in modern farming techniques or technology. Women in rural Sindh often depend on traditional methods due to their lack of access to capital and modern farming equipment.
Doubts Revealed
Sindh -: Sindh is a province in Pakistan, which is a country neighboring India. It has a rich history and culture but also faces many social and economic challenges.
Feudal and Tribal Systems -: Feudal and tribal systems are old ways of organizing society where a few powerful families or groups control land and resources. They often have a lot of influence over people’s lives, including their work and social status.
Akram Ali Khaskheli -: Akram Ali Khaskheli is a person who works to help poor farmers and workers in Sindh. He is the President of the Hari Welfare Association, which tries to improve the lives of these people.
Hari Welfare Association -: The Hari Welfare Association is a group that helps farmers and workers in Sindh. They work to make sure these people are treated fairly and have better living conditions.
Sindh Bonded Labour System Abolition Act 2015 -: This is a law in Sindh that was made to stop bonded labor, which is when people are forced to work to pay off debts. The law aims to protect workers from being exploited.
Economic Exploitation -: Economic exploitation means taking unfair advantage of someone, usually by paying them very little for their work or making them work in bad conditions.
Samina Khaskheli -: Samina Khaskheli is a person who works to help laborers in Sindh. She is part of the Azad Hariani Labour Union, which fights for workers’ rights.
Azad Hariani Labour Union -: The Azad Hariani Labour Union is a group that helps workers in Sindh. They try to make sure workers get fair wages and good working conditions.
Minimum Wage -: Minimum wage is the lowest amount of money that a worker can be paid for their work, as set by the government. It is meant to ensure that workers can earn enough to live on.