Activity Report2005-07

Labour Education FoundationL E FHead Office:

Karachi Office:

Sufi Mansion, 7-Egerton Road, Lahore-Pakistan.Tel: 0092-42-630 3808, Fax: 0092-42-627 1149E-mail: lef@lef.org.pk, Website: www.lef.org.pk

404-Mashriq Center, Block # 14, Gulshan-e-Iqbal,Karachi-Pakistan. Tel: 0092-21-414 1898

Contents

Foreword

Pakistan at a Glance

LEF at a Glance

Campaign for a Peaceful Pakistan (CFPP)

Democratic Development Pakistan (DDP)

Democracy, Peace and Workers' Rights (DP&WR)

Adult Literacy Development Project (ALDP)-Lahore

Adult Literacy Centres (ALC)-Karachi, Hyderabad, Hub

Empowering Home-Based Women Workers

Organizing the Bonded Labour at Brick Kilns

Labour Relief Campaign

Community Schools (Paniola & Dhaki Bangioon)

LEF General Body, Board & Staff

03

04

05

06

08

12

15

17

19

21

23

25

26

L E F Labour Education Foundation

Ahead of its Third Congress, the Labour Education Foundation (LEF) is presenting Activity Report2005-07. This is third study of its kind. It was in 2001, first Activity Report was published followed byActivity Report 2002-04 published in 2004. In an attempt to avoid repetition, the focus of present report

has been LEF activities instead of LEF as an organization.

In order to acquaint with LEF, I would suggest the reader of this report to glance through our two previousActivity Reports as well as our website The period covered in this Activity Report was a phasewhen LEF for the first time was able to consolidate itself. Earlier, LEF had been struggling to survive owing to anumber of factors. TheActivity Report is not merely an attempt to present the successes achieved by the LEF butis also an attempt at self-evaluation. It lends LEF and its supporters, sympathizers as well as partners anopportunity to participate in evolving strategies for future LEF initiatives while learning lessons from the past.

The LEF may not be a 100 percent success story. It, however, has been steadily moving onwards. This would nothave been possible without generous support lent by its member organizations in Pakistan as well as LEF'sglobal partners particularly in Sweden. Those deserving special mention include: Olof Palme InternationalCentre Stockholm, Sweden; Swedish Teachers Union Gothenburg Branch, Sweden; International Folk SchoolsGothenburg, Sweden; Swedish Food Workers Union andActionAid Pakistan.

As mentioned earlier, couple of previous years constituted a period of consolidation for the LEF. This fact wasreflected in an enhanced global networking and profile of the LEF. The LEF is not merely an affiliate ofInternational Federation of Workers' Education Associations (IFWEA) but is also on the Executive Committeeof the IFWEA. Also, LEF has found new partners in countries like Finland (Trade Union Solidarity Center-SASK), Danmark (STS International Solidarity) and Global Network.

All these achievements would not have been possible without the hard working LEF staff both in Karachi andLahore. But the outgoing LEF Board also deserves gratitude for planning, organizing, facilitating and guidingthe LEF working.

Fraternally

Director

Lastly, production of this report would have not been possible without volunteer work by Farooq Sulehria forwriting andTalat Rubab for layout; LEF is thankful to them for their timely effort.

Khalid Mahmood

www.lef.org.

Foreword

ActivityReport

2005-07

L E FLabour Education Foundation

Pakistan came into being in 1947, as British colonialrule ended with a division of India into two countries.Pakistan, at its birth, comprised of two wings: EastPakistan and West Pakistan. The Eastern wing, in 1971,declared independence and became Bangladesh.

Comprising 778,720 sq. km. of land, Pakistan is athickly-populated country of 170 million, according toCIA World Fact book. With Islamabad as capital,Pakistan is a federation of four provinces: Punjab,Sindh, NWFP (renamed in 2008 as Pashtoonkhwa) andBaloachistan. Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad are threelargest towns both in terms of population and industrialbase. Official language is English while Urdu is nationallanguage. Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto and Baloachi(besides a dozen other languages) are spoken in abovementioned provinces, respectively. Literacy rate is 49.9Percent (male: 63%, female: 36%).

Pakistan at a Glance

ActivityReport2005-07

Labour Education FoundationL E F Labour Education FoundationL E F

ActivityReport

2005-07

Founded in 1993 as Education FoundationRenamed as Labour Education Foundation (LEF) in 200423 Member organizations representing more than approximately100,000 members.15 projects executed in 13 years7 ongoing projects with an outreach of approximately 10,000 workers22 full-time staffers, 60 part timersWorking in all four provinces of Pakistan and KashmirAffiliations:

International Federation of Workers Education Association(IFWEA)JointAction Committee for Peoples Rights LahoreJointAction Committee for Peoples Rights KarachiPakistan NGOs ForumPunjab NGOs Co-ordination CouncilAnti-war CommitteePakistan Peace CoalitionPakistan Social ForumAnti-PrivatizationAlliance

LEF at a GlanceL E FLabour Education Foundation

Organisational Structure

4

Adult LiteracyCenters

Karachi,Hyderabad, Hub

International Folk Schools,Gothenburg, Sweden

Home BasedWomen Workers

Karachi, Hyderabad Action Aid Pakistanand CIDA

OrganizingBrick Kiln Workers

Punjab Province Action Aid Pakistan

OrganizingBonded Labour ofBrick Kiln

Punjab andSind Provinces

Global Human Rights Fund

5

6

7

8

Pakistan Finland Trade UnionSolidarityCenter- SASK

CommunitySchools Kashmir

Paniola, Kashmir STS InternationalSolidarity,Denmark

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10

Sr. # PROJECT Area of Operation PARTNER

DemocraticDevelopmentPakistan

Lahore, Karachi Olof Palme InternationalCenter, Stockholm, Sweden

Campaign forPeaceful Pakistan

Lahore, Karachi Olof Palme InternationalCenter,Stockholm, Sweden

Democracy, Peaceand WorkersRights

Lahore, Karachi,Multan,Faisalabad,Gujranwala,Hyderabad,Hub, Islamabad/Rawalpindiand Kasur

Olof PalmeInternational Center,Stockholm, Sweden

LiteracyDevelopmentProject

Lahore Swedish Teachers Union,Local BranchGothenburg,Sweden

Pakistan TradeUnionMovement- Study

1

3

2

LEF Projects 2005-07 at a Glance

Director

DPWR Project2 Coordinators

KarachiDPWR Project

2 Coordinators

Lahore

30 StudyCircle

Leaders20

Teachers7

SocialMobilizers

Volunteer Managementof Karachi Office by

Board Member

Management andFinance Assistant

Karachi

Management andFinance Assistant

Lahore

4 Staff

MazdoorUnion

Pakistan Bhatta

2 SupportStaff

ActivityReport2005-07

Labour Education FoundationL E F

May 1998, nuclear explosions by India and Pakistan respectively pushed the conflict-riddenregion of South Asia further towards danger of war. Meantime, post-9/11 scenario andconsequent 'war on terror' further aggravated the situation in Pakistan. In view of the acute

Peace Question, the LEF in collaboration with Olof Palme International Centre, Sweden, launched'Campaign for a Peaceful Pakistan' (CFPP) in January 2000. The CFPP was running parallel withDemocratic Development of Pakistan (DDP). Since both projects had similar target groups and wereoverlapping in many other ways, the LEF Board, therefore, decided to merge these projects by end-2006. Since 2007 onwards, CFPP and DDP merged to continue as Democracy, Peace and WorkersRights (DP&WR).

The CFPPwas an advocacy campaign as well as an attempt to build a new layer of peace activists amongthe ranks of workers, youth and professionals.

The CFPP had a monthly organ Jawan Fikr. An eight-page sheet, 1000-copies of Jawan Fikr werepublished and distributed monthly. It was re-named as Peace Newsletter in 2003. It was merged withanother publication, in April 2005, published by DDP. After the merger, thejoint venture appears as a monthly newsletter named The is anorgan of DP&WR. Until its merger, 31 issues of were published that is to say 31000copies of were distributed.

The emphasis in CFPP organ remains India-Pakistan peace process, Iraq war, hazards of nuclearweap on s , i nc reas ed re l i g io usfundamentalism in Pakistan, effects oftsunami, Palestinian question, anti-warmovement; nationally and globally.The CFPP's mainstay, however, was notpublications even if it produced ,besides , thousands ofposters, leaflets, pamphlets (for detailssee: Activity Report 2002-04). Thefocus was building a layer of activistsand mobilisations. In this regard, CFPPheld study circles, workshops, seminarsand conferences.

Khabarnama JamhoriatLabour Education Labour Education

Peace NewsletterPeace Newsletter

Peace Newsletter

.

Campaign for aPeaceful Pakistan (CFPP)

Pakistan: Defence versus Social Development

1995-961996-971997-981998-991999-20002000-012001-022002-032003-042004-05

0.80.80.70.70.70.70.70.70.60.6

2.42.52.32.22.11.61.91.72.12.1

5.65.25.14.94.03.23.43.33.23.2

Financial Year Health % Education % Defence %

Notes:Expenditure on health and education is as a percentage of GNPExpendi ture on defence i s as a percentage of G DPExpenditure on defence after 2001, does not include military pensionsSource: Economic Survey of Pakistan

Training workshops

Seminars

Conferences

Study Circles

Participation

Six workshops were organizedduring the years 2005-06. Int h e s e w o r k s h o p s , 1 9 1participants including students,advocates and civil societyrepresentatives participated.

Four seminars were organizedduring the years 2005-06. Thenumber of participants was: 421.

Two conferences were organizedduring the period 2005-06 onpeace issues. Over 1300including trade unionists,advocates and women activistsattended these conferences.

Thirty-five study circles wereheld during the course of 2005-06 while 648 participants fromd i f f e r e n t w a l k s o f l i f eparticipated in these studycircles.

The CFPP mobilized hundredsof activists for peace activitiesorganized by various groups.Also, CFPP staff attended sixdi ffe rent workshops andseminars thus enriching LEF'sknowledge and experiences inconducting campaigns.

L E FLabour Education Foundation

ActivityReport

2005-07

Campaign for Peaceful Pakistan Activities Summary 2005-06

Community Based Organizations: Rolesand Importance

Date Place ParticipantsWorkshops

6/19/2005 25Karachi

Progressive Youth Front, National Consultation 18-19-June-05 50Lahore

Topics

Privatization Process in Pakistan and Role ofTrade Unions

8-9-July-05 Lahore 35

Basic Trade Union Training 16-17-May 05 Lahore 27Basic Trade Union Training 5-6 Aug-2006 Lahore 27Basic Trade Union Training 16-17-Sep-06 Lahore 27SeminarsPakistan India: Peace Efforts 5/9/2005 Lahore 170Rise of Resistance Movements and Their Effects 8/26/2005 Karachi 120Globalization and Anti Globalization 4/1/2005 Lahore 86Youth’s Disappointment from Politics:Analysis and Solution

12/19/2006 Lahore 45

ConferenceWomen Workers Conference 3/8/2006 Karachi 800

500Against Inflation, unemployment, increase inWorking hours and Privatization

8/12/2006 Multan

Study circles

DemonstrationsAtomic bombs hurt friends and foes’ 8/6/2006 Lahore 56

Newsletter Lahore 3000MonthlyPublications

Organized study circles on different topics 01/12/05-06 Lahore/Karachi 648

ActivityReport2005-07

Labour Education FoundationL E F

Democratic Development Pakistan (DDP)

The 'Democratic Development Pakistan' (DDP) is a project launched in January 2003 in collaboration with ABF Norra Stor-Stockholm. From 2005 onwards, it was run in collaboration with the Olof Palme International Center, Stockholm, Sweden.

The DDP project by end-2006, merged with CFPP as mentioned earlier and continued as DP&WR (a project to be discussed later on). TheDDP aimed at creating democratic culture in Pakistan by creating political awareness against dictatorship and authoritarian rules throughseminars and workshops, publications, enhancing co-ordination with like-minded political parties, civil society organizations, mediapersons, advocates, trade union activists, women, and youth groups. Lahore and Karachi, two major cities were focused. (For further detailssee:Activity Report 2002-04)

During the period 2005-07, 9 workshops were organized on the topics of democracy-development and building of trade unions. Theworkshops brought together 247 participants including trade unionists, political activists, youth, women activists, lawyers and students. Theobjectives of the workshops were to train activists on some basic issues regarding democracy, to develop consciousness about adoptingdemocratic norms and building democratic structures inside various institutions.

Eight seminars were organized during 2005-07 and these seminars were participated by 789 activists including political activists, tradeunion workers, lawyers and other social and human rights activist. The major objectives of this activity were to create awareness about theimportance of participation in decision-making and to engage masses in a more practical dialogue for promoting and consolidatingdemocracy. Renowned intellectuals and experts are invited to make conceptual contribution to the ongoing debate on current situation ofcountry.

A conference was convened by DDP in collaboration with Labour Party Pakistan on “The Advocate Solidarity Conference” at Press Club,Lahore on 23 May 2007.The objective of the conference was to chart out a strategy to develop, participate and strengthen the movement for an independent judiciaryand an end to military dictatorship imposed since 12 October 1999 (that eventually was humbled as military ruler General Musharrafresigned on 18 August 2008). Over 60 radical organizations participated in the conference. It was almost all the radical forces of Lahore thatgot together. The conference played an important role in building democracy movement in Lahore at a critical juncture.

rd

Workshops

Seminars

Conferences

Labour Festival

Power looms Workers Convention

Struggle forWorker's Rights

Study Circles

The DDP under the auspices of LEF organized a Labour Festival ( ) in collaboration with Women Workers Helpline at MehfalAuditorium, Lahore on 30 April 2007. Besides media attention, the Labour Festival drew 2000 workers who came along their families. In anatmosphere of growing religious fundamentalism, it was an attempt to mobilize workers on cultural question.

A'Powerlooms Workers Convention' was held at Kasur on 10 ofAugust 2007.About 500 powerloom workers attended the convention. Thepowerloom workers are facing host of problems and ,of late, have been striving to form their union. The convention was an attempt to bringtogether powerloom workers from different work places to evolve a common strategy. The convention proved a milestone and has led tostrenghthing of their organization in district Kasur.

Faisalabad-based Labour Quami Movement (LQM) is a grass-root organization. Faisalabad, Pakistan's third largest town and industrialcentre, is home to Pakistan's textile industry. The LQM is working to organize mainly the textile-sector workers since October 2003. Thereare five million workers lacking any basic and legal rights. For last 30 years, bosses have given a damn to labour laws in this sector. Workershave no social security, EOBI, weekly off or increments.The LQM organized a strike on 3 December 2007 in Faisalabad. On the day of strike, all power looms workers gathered in front of FaisalabadPress Club. A protest session was held. District Labour officer appealed to end the strike in return promised to meet the workers' demands.The DDP (later DPWR) played an important role in building this strike as well as assisting LQM in its struggle to organize the textileworkers.

Forty-four study circles were held during 2005-07 in the districts of Lahore, Karachi, Gujranwala and Faisalabad. Over 725 trade unionists,civil society workers and activists participated in these study circles. They discussed several social and political issues. The purpose of thisactivity has been to identify and develop target groups and involve them in the democratic activities. Another purpose of these study circleshas been to evolve common strategies. The target groups are trade union members, lawyers, youth, civil society organizations, womenactivists and media persons.

Mazdoor Melath

th

ActivityReport

2005-07

Labour Education Foundation L E F

Newsletters

Booklets

Posters

The DDP used to publish monthly (DemocracyNews) while CFPP had a monthly organ . As discussed earlier,both merged and the joint venture called began its monthlypublication in May 2005. During 2005-07, 96,000 copies of 48 issues werepublished and distributed. The has won praise in mainstreamnewspapers. For instance, one of the largest Urdu-language dailies, ,mentioned and highlighted . The newsletter is posted todifferent political parties, civil society organizations, trade unions and mediaorganizations. Since workers' press is almost non-existant in Pakistan, hence,

has drawn attention of the concerned activists and journalists.

Following booklets and pamphlets have been published by DDP

by Saween Olsan (Translated byFarooq Sulehria)

by ProfessorHamzaAlvi (Translated by Nasir Mansoor)

by ZehraAkbar Khan

Military involvement in democratic institutionsPen will not be strangled in chains

Khabarnama-e-JamhooriatPeace NewsletterLabour Education

Labour EducationExpress

Labour Education

Labour Education

The Great PTCLStrike 2005Against PrivatizationHand Book for Study Circle Leader

Privatization: Myths and FactsPakistan Movement-Role of Religion and Secularism

Women Movement and StruggleAdvocates` movement! First 50 Days

ActivityReport2005-07

Labour Education FoundationL E F

Legal Help

Activities attended by Staff

Legal help has been a major component of DDP (later on DP&WR)project. The methodology is flexible. In some cases, a lawyer's fee ispaid. In certain cases, court expenses are paid while legal advice isprovided. During the year 2005, case for Ship Yard Workers wasfought by DDP. It was a fight for GP Fund.Also, 25 different disputeswere fought at Labour Courts (Karachi).

The DDP staff attended 12 training workshops to improve theirprofessional skills.

ActivityReport

2005-07

Labour Education Foundation L E F

Another World is Possible

World Social Forum (WSF) has become a biggest platform of anti-globalization movement to coordinate world campaigns, share andrefine organizing strategies, and inform each other about movementsfrom around the world and their issues. It tends to meet in January whenits "great capitalist rival", the World Economic Forum is meeting inDavos, Switzerland. The WSF first met in 2001 in the city of PortoAlegre, Brazil, as a challenge to the World Economic Forum (WEF)and claimed to organize an alternative to capitalist neo-liberalglobalization. The main ideas of the WSF were represented by thecentral slogan: “ ”, and under this banner allthose seeking a change from the existing status quo, have become thepart this of movement.

Its sixth meeting was a polycenrric event and was sheduled to be held inKarachi, in March 2006 but it was delayed because of earthquake innorthern part of the country. Pakistan Social Forum (PSF) could nothost the WSF in January but a one-day meeting of PSF was held inLahore on 24 January, 2006 to express the soliderity with the WSFmeeting of Caracas and Bamako. LEF stepped into the process ofmanagement of PSF meeting and became the active member of its coreteam. The entire staff of the Organization was lost in the coordinationand mangement activities of the PSF. LEF also hold the secretariat ofLahore Social Forum. The experience of the PSF, held in Lahore inJanuary showed that such meetings give the left and liberal democratsan opportunity to rail at the policies of the current government to asignificant audience of activists.

Following the PSF meeting in Lahore, a five day World Social Forumwas held in Karachi, in March 2006, where 50 thousands people camefrom all over Pakistan. It's estimated that activists from 58 countrieshave attended that event. LEF organized various workshops, seminarsand rallies in collaboration with National Trade Union Federation,Women Worker's Helpline, Committee Women Welfareand Development Organization (WWDO), Actionaid Pakistan andProgressive Youth Front. The polycentric event was blessing for civilsociety of Pakistan as political debates have rarely been encouraged. Infact, the WSF provides an open meeting place for reflective thinking,democratic debate of ideas, formulations of proposals, free exchangeof experiences and interlinking for effective action, by groups andmovements of civil society.

Another World is Possible

Kissan Rabita ,

Date Place ParticipantsTopicsDDP Activities Summary 2005-06

WorkshopsTrade Union & Democracy 18/19/05/2005 25Parliamentary Reporting and The Media

LahoreLahore 25

Workers’ Consultative Workshop on Privatization 10-11/12/2005 38Basic Trade Union Training 10-11/03/06 Lahore

Karachi27

Effective Communication Skills and BasicConcepts of Report Writing

20-22/06/06 Karachi 15

Basic Trade Union Training 5-6/08/06 Lahore 27Basic Trade Union Training 14-15/09/06 Gojra 25Report and Press release Writing 4/12/2006 Lahore 30SeminarsGovernment Policies and Fisher Folk Poverty 14/04/2005 Karachi 57May Day 28/05/2005 Karachi 200Privatization of Karachi Shipyard &its effects upon Workers

31/05/2005 Karachi 150

Globalization & Global Justice Movement 8-10/09/2005 42Lahore

Organized study circles on different topics Lahore/Karachi 497

Study circles

Jan-05 to Dec 06

Publications

Military involvement in democraticinstitutions (poster)

1/5/2006

8/12/2006Pakistan Movement-Role of Religion andSecularism(Booklet)

Advocates` movement! First 50 days (Booklet) 12/20/2006

24 monthly Newsletters Lahore 48000

10,000

5,000

3,000

Training workshops/activities attended by Staff

Training of Study Circle’s Leaders

3/12/2005

Lahore 15

Socialist School Lahore

Training of Trainers

Women Workers Gender Sensitizationof Industrial Workers

4/10/2005 Murree 2520

30Study circle leaders training 27-29/01/06

5-6/01/06 Lahore

Pakistan Social Forum 24/01/06 Lahore

Lahore

World Social Forum 24-29/02/06 Karachi

Socialist school 28/30/06 25Lahore

MurreeDevelopment Approaches 29/04/06