Revolution in the fields: Sindh’s women cotton pickers win fair wages under new laws

In this picture taken on September 1, 2022 laborers pick cotton in a field at Sammu Khan Bhanbro village in Sukkur, Sindh province. (AFP/File)

• Change began to emerge after the 18th Constitutional Amendment, granting autonomy to all provinces
• Local NGOs have helped agricultural workers register trade unions to negotiate assertively with landlords

SHAHEED BENAZIRABAD, Sindh: Samina Khaskheli, who works in the cotton fields of Pakistan’s southeastern Sindh province, feels empowered like never before.
A resident of a small village in Shaheed Benazirabad district, formerly Nawabshah, she recalls how most women working with her in the fields complained about not being paid properly.
However, the province’s evolving legal framework recognized agriculture and fishery laborers as industrial workers in 2013, granting them the right to associate, form trade unions and negotiate with landlords and employers.
Subsequently, these women, about 50 in number, decided to register their trade union, presenting a united front that eventually led to improved wages, bringing them closer to the official fixed rates that had previously been denied to them.
“We are women who manually pick cotton,” she told Arab News this week. “In the past, employers didn’t pay us the official rates. But united, we 50 female members decided to take a stand.”
“When offered Rs800 per maund, we declined, demanding Rs1,200,” she added, referring to a traditional unit of weight in South Asia that is equivalent to 40 kilograms. “Our unity forced the employer to accept our demand.”
Cotton, one of Pakistan’s most important cash crops, forms the backbone of the country’s textile sector, the largest contributor to its economy. However, for decades, women like Khaskheli, who are the primary labor force in cotton-picking, have struggled under poor working conditions, receiving less than the minimum wage.
“We’ve found our voice,” she said. “Our increased income lets us buy clothes and stationery for our children.”
BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS
A little more than a decade after the passage of the 18th Constitutional Amendment, which granted autonomy to all federating units, peasants in Sindh are beginning to see benefits from new post-amendment laws.
In 2023, provincial lawmakers introduced an amendment to the Sindh Protection of Human Rights Act, incorporating the principles of Responsible Business and Human Rights, which encourages employers to recognize basic privileges of their workers or being held accountable.
“Responsible Business and Human Rights is a relatively new field in Pakistan,” said Iqbal Ahmed Detho, chairperson of the Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC), an independent body.
“Under this framework, we’ve focused on prioritizing local employment, improving occupational health and safety, enforcing minimum wages, reviewing existing laws and making legal aid more accessible,” he continued. “We’ve also built capacity among government officials, labor inspectors and police to effectively address violations and safeguard workers’ rights.”
The significance of the framework is hard to overstate. Before its introduction, agricultural workers had limited rights and little bargaining power. But now, trade unions are being registered under the Sindh Labour Department, helping people find their voice.
Speaking to Arab News, Ghulam Sarwar Uttero, the department’s regional director, confirmed the change.
“So far, there are 26 registered agriculture workers’ trade unions at the Sindh Labour Department. The majority of members and leaders in Sindh’s agricultural trade unions are women, numbering around 800,” he said.
A UNION OF STRENGTH
The Hari Welfare Association (HWA), an NGO working to advocate for farmers’ rights, has helped 12 women-only agricultural trade unions register with the provincial department, including Khaskheli’s Azad Harinyani Trade Union.
“The Sindh Protection of Human Rights Act, 2023, has been a game-changer for women trade union workers in Sindh,” said Akram Khaskheli, the association’s president, to Arab News. “This law has ensured that they receive the minimum wage fixed by the government of Sindh, a right that was previously denied to them by their landlords and contractors.”
For Begum Zaadi, another peasant, the law has not just accrued economic benefits but has also instilled a sense of confidence among women.
“The difference emerged after NGO representatives started conducting consultative meetings and awareness sessions in our village, which were previously missing,” she said.
“Through an adult literacy program, the NGO played a crucial role in establishing our trade union and teaching us effective bargaining techniques,” she added. “They empowered us to negotiate confidently with landlords. As a result, we now communicate assertively with employers, securing better wages.”
Meanwhile, Khaskheli, the cotton picker, is happy with the bump in her income since it makes it relatively easier to educate her children.
“Education is expensive, but as poor women peasants, we value literacy, having missed it in our childhood,” she said. “We’ve always held agricultural tools, but we want our children to succeed through education and secure jobs like others.”