Rural Women faces multiple challenges,Need to implement Sindh Women Agriculture workers Act.

Mirpurkhas, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Mar, 2026) A seminar held in connection with International Women’s Day 2026 brought together over 100 participants, primarily women and girls, to review the conditions of rural women in Sindh. Sumera Baloch Deputy Mayor Mirpurkhas emphasized the vital role of women in building a progressive and inclusive society. She highlighted that empowering women through education, equal opportunities, and active participation in leadership is essential for sustainable development. She also reaffirmed her commitment to supporting policies that protect women’s rights and promote gender equality, urging the community to work collectively to eliminate discrimination and create a safer, more supportive environment for women in all spheres of life.

Akram Ali Khaskheli president of the Hari Welfare Association (HWA) shared that an estimated 15 million women in rural Sindh lack access to basic rights, including healthcare, education, and fair wages. A significant proportion are engaged in agriculture, livestock, and fisheries, yet remain excluded from formal recognition, social protection, and equitable compensation.

In 2025, a total of 771 cases of violence and abuse against women and girls were recorded from newspaper reports across different districts of Sindh, largely in rural areas. These included 300 reported incidents of murder, resulting in the killing of 306 women and girls, of whom 86 were murdered in the name of so-called honour. In the same period, 214 women and girls were killed on various pretexts. Additionally, 91 cases of domestic violence were documented, along with 23 cases of forced and child marriages and 12 cases of sexual harassment. Media reports also indicated that 93 women and girls were subjected to rape, 121 cases of kidnapping were recorded, and 129 women and girls were reported to have died by suicide.

It also noted that in 2024, a total of 1,012 bonded laborers were released from both the agriculture and brick kiln sectors across various districts of Sindh.

Between 2013 and 2024, 13,128 bonded laborers were freed, comprising 32% men, 33% women, and 35% children. Despite the existence of the Sindh Bonded Labour System Abolition Act 2015, enforcement mechanisms such as district vigilance committees remain largely inactive. Similarly, the Sindh Tenancy Act 1950 has not been effectively implemented, leaving sharecroppers vulnerable to eviction and denial of their legal share of agricultural output.

Wage disparities remain widespread. Women working in agriculture typically earn between 500 and 700 rupees per day while working more than eight hours, with minimum wage laws not applied in the sector. HWA said that most women receive approximately Rs. 5000 per month for labour-intensive activities across entire crop cycles, including cotton picking, chilli harvesting, date processing, banana cultivation, and wheat farming. More than 70% of women in rural Sindh are engaged in agriculture and related sectors, yet poverty, malnutrition, and food insecurity persist at the household level. Despite the passage of the Sindh Women Agriculture Workers Act 2019, implementation remains absent across districts, limiting access to rights such as equal pay, unionisation, written contracts, and social security. In March 2026, the Sindh Cabinet had approved rules under the Act of 2019, but these have not been notified and published.

Peasant women including Fozia Laghari, Shahida Parveen, Jameela, Abida Lashari, Azmina Baloch said women who are living in rural areas suffering gender discrimination at all levels, literacy ration in rural areas is very low due to unavailability girls schools in rural areas. They said that government should initiate skills development program for women rather than charity schemes like BISP.APP/hms