Initiative Aims to Secure Identity Cards and Basic Rights for Vulnerable Laborers
KARACHI, Sep 12: The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) will conduct a special registration campaign for brick kiln workers in Umerkot and other districts of lower Sindh from September 16th to 20th. This initiative seeks to provide these unregistered workers with national identity cards, enabling them to access essential rights and social protection benefits.
Mr. Iqbal Detho, Chairman of the Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC), announced the campaign during a consultation on bonded labor and kiln worker rights, co-organized by the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC), SHRC, and Aga Khan University.
“Registration with NADRA is a crucial first step towards ensuring that brick kiln workers and their families can access essential services, including social security, healthcare, and education,” said Mr. Detho. He highlighted the vulnerability of these workers, often exploited due to a lack of official documentation.
The consultation addressed the challenges in implementing the Sindh Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act-2015, focusing on the pervasive “Peshgi” debt bondage system in the brick kiln industry. Mr. Detho emphasized the SHRC’s commitment to improving labor laws and advocating for worker rights.
Dr. Zafar Fatimia, lead researcher at Aga Khan University, presented findings revealing the precarious conditions of brick kiln workers, exacerbated by the 2022 floods. He noted that 90% of these workers incur loans to meet basic needs, perpetuating a cycle of debt. The study highlighted the unregulated nature of the brick kiln sector, where workers, primarily from landless minority communities, live in inadequate housing and face significant health risks. The SHRC is compiling recommendations to strengthen existing laws and improve legal aid access for workers, alongside efforts to address domestic child labor in Sindh.
