Agricultural women workers in Pakistan start to get unionised

Agricultural women workers in Pakistan start to get unionised

The wages and working conditions of millions of agricultural workers globally is often depressingly grim and especially for women. Great therefore to hear that the first union of women agricultural workers, Sindh Haryani Union, has been launched in Pakistan. It has over 500 members, who are engaged in planting and harvesting crops such as wheat and sugar cane, from several rural districts in the Sindh province. At the founding conference members spoke about the impact of climate change, which has made insecure seasonal work even more uncertain. With assistance from the International Union of Food (IUF) workers, the new union is set to start an education and awareness programme on health and safety in agricultural work and on maternity rights.