KABUL (SW) – A survey conducted by Salam Watandar, based on interviews with 40 female workers in various factories, reveals that heavy labour, low wages, and lack of job security are among the primary challenges they face.
These women do not have formal contracts and work as day labourers in workshops, companies, and factories in Kabul. All of them express dissatisfaction with the wages they receive.
In this report, 17 female workers in carpet weaving companies, 22 female workers in dried fruit factories, and one female employee in a restaurant were interviewed.
The female workers in carpet weaving are paid per carpet layer completed, while those working in dried fruit factories receive a daily wage. The woman working in the restaurant receives a monthly wage.
Hanifa, a 50-year-old woman who has been cleaning almonds in a factory for the past ten years, says she is responsible for taking care of three children and her disabled husband. She ought to work from morning to evening for 250 afghanis a day. Hanifa adds when she is unable to work due to illness, she does not receive any payment.
“My husband has been paralyzed for six years, and he is at home. I don’t have anyone else working. I have two disabled sons, and one daughter is also disabled at home. One of my children has a huge head and small body, we did not vaccinate because no one gave us awareness. Sometimes, I feel a headache, and my hands and feet get weak. We live in a rented house, and I pay 1,500 afghanis a month for rent. I earn 250 afghanis a day, and 50 afghanis goes for transportation, and I bring 200 afghanis worth of meal to home as I work in almond cleaning,” she said.
Similarly, Shamim, a woman who has been working at an almond cleaning factory in Kabul’s Maiwand Road for four years with her 15-year-old daughter, who suffers from lung disease, tearfully recounts the hardships of her life. She says her husband is an addict, and due to financial struggles, not only can she not afford to treat her sick daughter, but she also has to bring her to the factory to work— a job that could endanger her daughter’s life. “Life is so difficult that if I don’t work one day, I won’t even have money for a dry loaf of bread. If my daughter were well, I wouldn’t worry so much. She suffers from lung problems, and I’ve tried to get her treated, but it doesn’t help. There’s dust everywhere, and the air is filled with harmful things.”
Razia, whose husband has been missing for three years, is the sole breadwinner for her family. She is paid per carpet layer she completes, and if she cannot finish a layer in one day, she and her children go hungry that day. She said: “My children, both sons and daughters, go to bed hungry. We don’t have a formal contract here. I came here to work; we get paid based on what we do. Some days I earn 100 afghanis, which is just enough for a loaf of dry bread. My husband used to go to Iran several times, but then he disappeared. Our problems are many. I can’t sleep well at night because I think too much, and it causes me to forget things.”
Meanwhile, some of the girls interviewed in this report have been deprived of the opportunity to continue their education due to government-imposed restrictions on women. These girls complain about the lack of job security and low wages, and say they feel hopeless when they realize that in Afghanistan, women may only be able to do hard labor in the future, with no opportunities for other types of work.
Maqbula, who was in grade 10 and is now working with other women in almond cleaning, says that she had wanted to study law, but economic hardship has forced her to work for a daily wage of 250 Afghanis. She said: “We have no choice but to work to help boost the economy. Our salary is not regular, just daily. I earn 250 afghanis a day, and sometimes during seasons when there are more almonds or pistachios, there’s more work. When there’s no work, we just use whatever little we’ve saved. If I had been able to finish school, I would have loved to continue studying law, but unfortunately, that didn’t happen.”
Mahsaz, a girl who had to drop out of school and now weaves carpets to support her family of seven, says that she is forced to work from morning until evening to feed her family. She lost her father in a suicide attack on the Kaj Institute in Kabul and is now responsible for her family. She said: “My father died in the suicide attack on the Kaj Institute in Kabul. I earn a daily wage, and there’s no formal contract. Whatever I work, the wages I receive are never enough. Carpet weaving is hard work, and the conditions are difficult. We sit on the floor for long hours, which causes back and leg pain.”
In response to this situation, the Workers’ Union reports a decrease in its activities due to government restrictions and states that it is currently unable to advocate for female workers. However, it urges the de-facto government to create opportunities for regulated activities for female-headed households in the private sector.
Raz Mohammad Ahmadi, head of the Workers’ Union of Afghanistan, said: “The Workers’ Union used to operate widely in many provinces, and we were one of the social partners of the Ministry of Labor and the International Labor Organization, working both nationally and internationally. However, due to changes in labor laws, our activities are now significantly limited. Our request is to create programs where women in both the public and private sectors can engage in business activities, and such opportunities should be provided to them.”
Legal experts consider day labor by women in factories to be a violation of the country’s labor law, which stipulates that all worker and employer rights must be defined in a written contract, with no distinction between men and women.
Ajmal Zarmati, a legal expert, says that according to Article 12 of Afghanistan’s labor law, there must be a written contract between the worker and the employer, and all job benefits should be included in the contract. He said: “Article 12 of Afghanistan’s labor law explicitly states that there must be a written contract between both parties to ensure their rights. Not only does the labor law of Afghanistan specify this, but it is also in line with Islamic principles and values that everything should be written down. If workers, whether male or female, are employed for short-term periods, such as six or four months, they must have a contract that outlines all benefits, including holidays, salaries, and overtime.”
Economic experts also stress that in order to boost economic growth for women and families, fair wages should be provided for women workers. They also say that creating a specific labor policy is one of the caretaker government’s key responsibilities.
Abdul Wafi Naibzai, an economic expert, says: “For example, a wage of 1,000 afghanis should be considered because day wages range from 500 afghanis to 1,000 Afghanis, depending on the work. A wage below 500 afghanis is too low, while above 1,000 afghanis is too much. The government must take concrete steps in this regard. There is currently no policy on wages, and the government should address this issue.”
Furthermore, Soraya Paikan, a women’s rights activist, considers job security for female workers important and argues that in addition to job security, health insurance for female workers is essential and mandatory. She said: “In Afghanistan, even within the government, there is no such thing as insurance or job security. If someone is harmed on the job, they should be compensated and treated, but unfortunately, this is rarely seen. Even in many large factories, the contracts that exist do not include these provisions.”
Tahmina Mangal, a civil rights activist, also emphasizes job security for female workers, including the creation of associations and legal institutions to support female workers, increasing legal awareness, and government support for new laws on job security. She said: “Creating associations and organizations, raising legal awareness through training on workers’ rights and job security, and methods for protecting their rights can help them protect themselves. Implementing these measures requires support from private and social institutions, and the government must also back the creation of new laws on job security for workers.”
Meanwhile, Samiullah Ebrahimi, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of the caretaker government, says that the ministry’s inspectors monitor issues faced by female workers, including the timely payment of wages, benefits, and rights as per the contracts between workers and employers. If any violations are found, legal action will be taken. He said: “In cases where workers’ rights are violated, or if they are in unsafe working conditions or facing overcrowding, all these factors are considered. Even issues such as overtime and the timely payment of wages are monitored. If any issues are detected, we provide guidance to prevent these problems in the future. However, if violations persist, it is considered defiance of the law, and the ministry’s inspectors will take appropriate legal action.”
It should be noted that even during the Republic’s government, protests over the failure to implement labor laws, especially regarding the lack of formal contracts and health insurance between workers and employers, had intensified. Despite the law being passed years ago, and three years and three months of the caretaker government’s rule, there is still no sign of its implementation in the private sector.
