Pakistan needs to concentrate on human rights: EU

• EU's Human Rights special representative lauds Pakistan for making new laws.
• Says that women earn less than minimum wage in the textile industry.
• Points to criteria for compliance with GSP+ conventions that span across human rights, labour rights, environment, good governance.

ISLAMABAD: European Union's Special Representative for Human Rights Eamon Gilmore, who recently concluded his visit to Islamabad, praised Pakistan for taking some forward steps such as making new laws. He, however, said that there are still some areas where the Pakistani government needs to pay attention, The News reported.

The advice comes at a point where the EU has the extension of the (GSP+) status for 2024 to Pakistan on the table, after reviewing the country's two-year performance report on exports for years, 2020 and 2021.

GSP is an entrenched trade and development policy instrument, in place since 1971 and Pakistan has been a major beneficiary of the GSP scheme for the last seven years.

There is 0% duty on several products under this status, which is due to expire on Dec 31, 2023.

Under the current GSP+ system, the EU continues monitoring the progress made by the beneficiary countries on the effective implementation of 27 international conventions on human rights, labour rights, environmental protection and good governance.

According to the European Union office in Islamabad, Gilmore pointed to labour rights in which he said women earn less than minimum wage in the textiles industry, a sector that heavily benefits from the GSP+ programme. 

"Women earn less than child labour and bonded labour, which possibly increased owing to the pandemic, must be addressed immediately," said the EU.

In the area of education, Gilmore said that a large number of children are out-of-school and are being placed in a cycle of disadvantage while the society misses the untapped potential of skilled and engaged citizens.

Most important for policymakers in Islamabad, Gilmore pointed to the criteria for compliance with Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+] conventions that span across human rights, labour rights, environment and good governance.

It was in his public talk at the Islamabad Institute of Strategic Studies that Gilmore, while highlighting the centrality of human rights in EU foreign policy and underlining that EU engages globally on the basis of partnership and respect for human rights values, said, "Human rights don't belong to any state but to people everywhere in every country."

In Lahore, Gilmore also discussed labour rights and human rights related issues with the business representatives and civil society organisations. He recognised the progress made with the introduction of new laws, including the Anti-Rape Law, Anti-Torture Law, Anti-Harassment at Workplace Law, Journalist Protection Bill, significant reform on the death penalty and no execution for the last two years and inheritance provisions for women, but urged the Pakistan government to continue the implementation of laws to make real progress for everyone in society.

During the tour, Gilmore held wide-ranging meeting with the Pakistan government officials, civil society representatives, human rights activists, religious minority representatives and media workers in Islamabad and Lahore. This year marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the European Union and Pakistan.