Socio-Economic Empowerment of Women

Pakistan is the fourth largest producer of cotton in the world where approximately more than a half million in Sindh and 50000 Women Cotton Pickers-WCPs are involved in Matiari district. They work in the cotton fields to harvest the raw material for T&C production.




The T&C industry falls on women’s shoulders, but they remain poor and exploited; their health suffers from a hazardous working environment that involves excessive use of poisonous pesticides. The rising temperature of 49 centigrade has impacted badly on their health, labor productivity, and livelihoods.




Occupational health safety is poor for these workers. The recent floods affected the 12 million population in Sindh (0.2 million population and 140,833 standing cotton crops damaged in Matiari district). They have lesser adaptation skills and climate literacy to deal with to deal with the climate crisis. The climate change badly impacting their lives, health &livelihood due to both rising temperature and floods.




It is clear that there is a pressing need to empower socio-economically the women cotton pickers in Matiari district in Pakistan and Sindh Community Foundation has the solution for this.