LAHORE, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 14th May, 2026) HomeNet Pakistan organized a policy dialogue bringing together women parliamentarians, Members of Provincial Assemblies (MPAs), policymakers, civil society representatives, media personnel, and members of the Women’s Caucus to discuss implementation of the Punjab Home-Based Workers (HBWs) Act 2023.
According to a press release issued here on Thursday, the participants highlighted the significant contribution of home-based workers, particularly women, to Pakistan’s informal economy through sectors including garments, embroidery, handicrafts, stitching, and food processing. Despite their vital economic role, millions of HBWs continue to remain excluded from labour rights, social protection, health coverage, and financial inclusion mechanisms.
During the session, participants shared findings from Punjab and national studies indicating that Pakistan has an estimated 4.4 million home-based workers, including approximately 3.6 million women. Informal estimates suggest that the number may exceed 12 million women workers nationwide. Speakers noted that HBWs contribute nearly Rs400 billion to the economy, accounting for around 3.8 percent of Pakistan’s GDP, yet their contribution remains largely undocumented and unrecognized.
Executive Director of AWAZ foundation Ziaur Rehman said that under the Punjab government’s “Zewar-e-Taleem” programme, school-going girls had previously received stipends through a funding scheme worth Rs6 million.
He noted that school dropout rates had increased following the discontinuation of the programme and urged women parliamentarians to advocate for its revival.
The participants emphasized that although all four provinces had enacted legislation related to home-based workers, implementation remained weak due to inadequate budget allocations, limited institutional coordination, weak registration systems, and insufficient engagement of labour departments and local governments.
MPAs, including Safia Saeed, Shagufta Faisal, Uzma Kardar, Amna Parveen, Farzana Abbas, Somia Atta, Syeda Samreen Taj, Mumtaz Begum and Fatima Begum, highlighted major challenges faced by women workers, including low piece-rate wages, lack of written contracts, workplace harassment, exclusion from social security and health schemes, occupational health risks, poverty, climate-related shocks, and increasing school dropouts pushing women and children into exploitative labour conditions.
Executive Director of HomeNet Pakistan Ume Laila Azhar stressed the urgent need for district-level registration systems, social protection mechanisms, and dedicated budget allocations for the welfare, health insurance, and economic empowerment of home-based workers.
She also emphasized stronger coordination among labour departments, the Women Development Department, NADRA, EOBI, social welfare institutions, and civil society organizations to ensure effective implementation of laws and policies related to home-based workers.
