Details of female farm labourers, factory workers and domestic workers have been submitted to the Punjab Assembly, providing fresh data on women’s participation in Punjab’s registered labour sector.
According to the report, Punjab has 20,744 registered factories and 225,344 registered shops and commercial establishments, with men making up the majority of the registered workforce.
The report submitted to the Punjab Assembly states that the number of registered factories in Punjab stands at 20,744. The total number of employees working in these registered factories is 1,274,276.
Of these, 1,138,379 are male employees, while 135,897 are female employees.
Men form majority of factory workforce
According to the registered data, male employees form the majority of workers in factories across Punjab. The figures show a wide gap between male and female participation in the province’s registered industrial workforce.
However, the report said there is no discrimination in the remuneration of male and female employees.
The report also shared details of Punjab’s registered shops and commercial establishments.
According to the data, the number of registered shops and commercial establishments in the province is 225,344. These establishments employ 613,729 male workers and 40,604 female workers.
Majority of commercial workers also male
The report said registered data shows that men also make up the majority of employees in shops and commercial establishments. Female workers are present in the commercial sector, but their number remains far lower than male employees.
The report again stated that there is no wage discrimination between male and female employees.
The report said the Domestic Work Act 2019 is in force for the remuneration and protection of domestic workers, especially women. The law applies to domestic workers and is aimed at regulating payment and working conditions in the sector.
The report highlighted the Act as part of the framework for protecting women working in homes.
A 24-hour helpline, 1043, is active for women across Punjab, according to the report. The helpline provides immediate guidance on harassment, domestic violence and human rights violations.
Women from all districts of Punjab can seek assistance through the helpline.
Women’s labour data placed before Assembly
The submission of these details to the Punjab Assembly provides an official snapshot of female labour participation in factories, commercial establishments and domestic work.
While men remain the majority in registered workplaces, the report emphasized that legal and support mechanisms are in place for women workers, including wage protections, the Domestic Work Act 2019 and the 24-hour helpline.
