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| “In
Pakistan, FDH supports at-risk workers in their fight
for the recognition of their economic, social, and human
rights.” |
| Akhgla - Textile workers:
South Asia is one of the world’s most important
producers and exporters of clothing.
In Pakistan, the city of Karachi now has approximately
500 000 workers employed in making clothing, socks,
and stockings for export and for domestic markets. This
industry relies on labor from very poor neighborhoods,
itinerant workers (300 000 workers in factories and
small workshops), and people working at home (200 000,
mostly women), all of whom have no legal protection
(no contracts, or registration of workers).
In the face of these conditions, FDH decided to support
the creation of the Association of Textile Workers of
Karachi (AKHGLA), an initiative of PILER, in December
1998. Today, this organization includes 5000 members
and their families.
This organization’s goal is to defend the social,
economic, and human rights of these poorly organized,
uneducated, and isolated workers, who have no social
protection. With our support, these workers fight for
shorter hours, improvement of security, and reductions
in the work-related accidents and health problems that
come from the factories.
To learn more about this project,
click
here.
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| Clothing workers
are often subject to long hours and very difficult work
conditions. Exploited, and without social protection
or a way of redressing these wrongs, they have formed
an association in order to lead a collective fight for
their social, economic, and human rights. © PILER |
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| Clothing workers
are forced to work and live in highly unstable situations.
Pictured above are a house and a community kitchen where
several textile worker families live in Karachi.
© PILER |
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Project Co-Financed
by the European Union
| Statistics
on Pakistan |
Area: 803 943 km2
(2)
Population: 144 971 000
(2)
Population below poverty level
(-$2/day): 84.6% (1)
Illiteracy rate: 56.8%
of the population in 2000 (1)
Life expectancy at birth:
59 (1)
Rural population: 47.3%
(2)
Infant mortality rate:
85/1000 (compared with 5/1000 in France) (1)
Human development index:
138 out of 173 countries (1)
State and government:
Federal Islamic republic with military regime
Languages: Urdu and English
(official), Pengabi, Sindhi, Pachtou, Balouchi
Religion: Muslim (97%), Catholic, Hindu, and others (3%)
(1)World Report on Human Development 2002, PNUD, De Boeck
Université
(2)State of the World 2003, La Découverte
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Pakistan - Textile workers
