The new National Union marks a significant milestone in the decades-long struggle of these essential women workers who deliver primary health care across the country.

"Our new Federation will ensure the safety and security of all community health workers," said Rahila Tabassum, a Lady Health Supervisor from Punjab and General Secretary of PCHWF. 

Women union leaders from PSI affiliated unions across the four provinces agreed to form the national federation to counter the common problems facing community health workers, polio workers and community midwives. This includes recent attacks on women polio workers, harassment, denial of minimum wages, delayed salaries, and lack of professional recognition. 

The union's formation comes after a major PSI-coordinated organising drive across Pakistan supported by Forsa (Ireland) and KNS. In the wider region, PSI-member unions are sharing strategies, building capacity and joining forces in a series of projects also supported by FNV, Union to Union, the Trade Union Solidarity Centre of Finland SASK and the German Trade Union Confederation DGB.

"Our federation will not allow the government to out-source health facilities. Together we will protect public health services," said Halima Leghari, Lady Health Supervisor from Sindh and President, PCHWF.

The Lady Health Workers (LHW) program, initiated in 1994 by former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, has grown from 30,000 to over 125,000 workers. These workers serve as the backbone of Pakistan's primary healthcare system, particularly in rural and underserved areas. Following a successful struggle that reached the Supreme Court, all Lady Health Workers achieved regularisation in 2012, marking their first major victory. Yet the polio workers are still denied regular wages, existing only on honorariums. 

"We work continuously in harsh weather conditions but we are not respected like humans. The unity of our federation will change the trend so we can gain our rights," states Kinza Malik, a Polio Worker from Punjab Province  and Secretary, Youth Affairs of PCHWF.

PSI has been supporting community health workers to unionise and organise across Pakistan and supported the first union in Pakistan, the All Sindh Lady Health Workers and Employees Union, to become legally established.

Kate Lappin, PSI Regional Secretary for Asia Pacific said:

 “PSI congratulates the Community Health Workers across Pakistan who have organised themselves into a powerful National Union. These Women who dedicate themselves to improving public health, providing support to the most remote communities are undoubtedly entitled to respect, a living wage and a dignified retirement. We know that will only be achieved through the unity of workers, in Pakistan and across the world and we will proudly continue to work with them in solidarity.”

PSI General Secretary Daniel Bertossa addressed the launch saying "PSI and our 15 million affiliated members in the health sector are proud to have worked with you to organise Lady Health Workers for the last decade.The launch of the Pakistan Community Health Workers Federation (PCHWF), the country's first national community health workers union, is a significant milestone in the unity of care workers in Pakistan. Organising women workers in the face of multiple and intersecting challenges including violence, harassment and insufficient wages is vital and building unity is essential to protecting and empowering these workers."

The federation unites five major unions across Pakistan's provinces:

1. Punjab Ladies Health Workers Union, Sheikhupura

2. Ladies Health Workers Union, Faisalabad

3. All Sindh Lady Health Workers and Employees Union 

4. All Khyber Pakhtoon Khawa Lady Health Workers and Staff Union

5. Baluchistan Lady Health Workers Union

Click here to view the full programme of the launch event in Lahore.

For media inquiries and interview requests:

Rahila Tabassum, General Secretary, PCHWF is available for interviews in English and Urdu. She can be contact at +92 3214905236

International Media Contact: 

Jyotsna Singh

Communications Consultant 

Asia Pacific Regional Office, Public Services International 

Email: jyotsna.singh@world-psi.org 

Phone: +91 9999332811