HomeNet Pakistan is a network of organizations formed to raise awareness about the economic, social, domestic and other working conditions of home-based women workers who comprise 70% of the informal workforce contributing towards the country’s economic activities. HomeNet Pakistan has been working for giving a recognition and support to the home-based workers since 2005. Formed under the Societies Registration Act 1862 HomeNet Pakistan is a member of HomeNet South Asia.

HomeNet Pakistan believes that home- based women workers need to be recognized as laborers instead of considered as a poor, deserving and insignificant part of the society. They must be considered as producers and artisans. Their productivity has to be increased by imparting skill development training, improved technologies, direct access to credit schemes, effective marketing opportunities of their products and putting them under some trade/labor policy of the country. The home-based workers also need to be adequately reflected in national statistics and recognized as workers in the labor laws of the country, thus making them eligible for social, economic and legislative protection. They want support in information, knowledge, capacity building – developing contact, presenting issues, advocacy skills, designing and marketing etc. Here organizational strength is required while making efforts to strengthen home based workers; creating linkages, networking, capacity building and advocacy.

HomeNet Pakistan was registered under the Societies Registration Act on November 2nd, 2005. It represents 350 organizations of home based workers and currently has over 50,000 women members in more than 50 districts of Pakistan.

Objectives

•      Mainstreaming issues of home-based workers in national and provincial policies

•     Making Home-Based workers visible

•        To build an international network for home-based workers and their organizations and NGOs, cooperatives, trade unions, researchers, women’s groups etc. working in this field

•     To coordinate an international campaign for the improvement of home based workers’ conditions of work

•     To collect information on home-based work and to
disseminate it to the members of the network and other interested organizations

            •        To provide technical assistance to women

Four Areas of Work

      •     Information development and dissemination

•     Advocacy on Policy initiatives for women ,  Homebased Workers for  effective  legislation

•        Networking

•     Capacity Building and leadership development 

Special Focus

       •     Organizing and Networking of women home-based workers, domestic workers and women 

             worker and their organizations.

•      Supporting development of policy and advocacy on key issues with the government.

•      Demonstrating pilot approaches including social protection for the vulnerable groups ; skill
 development for CVE affected groups (women and youth).

            •      Promoting fair trade practices

            •      Conflict resolution 1325

            •      Capacity development on human rights, women, legal and labour rights.

Major Activities

      •     Awareness Raising at three levels

•     Exposure visits for market linkages

•     Legal Awareness workshops

•     Crafts Exhibitions and fairs

•     Field researches

•     Market surveys

•     Advocacy meetings with Parliamentarians ,Media, women councillors, legislators and lawyers, GoP and relevant stakeholders

•     Leadership development

•     Enterprise development