Established in 1993 as a non-government organization, Labour Education Foundation (LEF) is an initiative of renowned trade union leaders, human rights and women rights activists to organize, capacitate and advocate for workers rights and provide informed input to trade unions and various civil society organizations for promoting workers rights. Having offices in Lahore, Karachi and Mardan, LEF conducts its activities throughout Pakistan.

LEF has been devoting considerable resources to support and enable formal and informal sector workers to organize themselves, develop their knowledge, claim their rights and transform unequal power relations.

LEF has been honored with the SILVER ROSE AWARD for 2011 by SOLIDAR, a European network of 52 NGOs active in over 90 countries to advance social justice. Silver Rose Award was given to LEF on 1^st March 2011 in a ceremony held in European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium.

Our Vision

A democratic, progressive, just, peaceful and developed society where working class—men, women and youth—empowered to claim and protect its social, economic and political rights.

Our Mission

Conscious, informed and gender sensitized workers, women and youth groups challenging the existing situation as part of the movements for ensuring economic emancipation, gender equality, promoting constitutional, legal and labour rights, eradicating violence and working for a democratic and nuclear-free society.

Our Achivements

The beneficiaries are demanding representation, fighting to change the laws, policies and practices that deny their rights, sharing thoughts which are not commonly heard of and taking collective actions.

In the last ten years, 31 new trade unions, have been organized and registered with the LEF support. Built the capacity of trade unions and workers’ groups through information dissemination, legal aid, negotiating minimum wages for workers and facilitating in obtaining social security cards, etc.

Workers joined the campaign to resist military dictatorship and became part of the wider democratic struggle of Lawyers’ Movement.

Trained over 1000 trade union members in basic trade unionism, leadership and political education.
Provided legal aid to over 1500 workers during the last 8 years.

Formed Action Committee to campaign for the implementation of Minimum Wage.

Organized Home Based Women Workers Federation and cooperatives for home based women workers that are now negotiating with investors for fair wages, developing linkages with other business entities for better income, minimizing the role of middleman and taking active part in litigation involving workers.

Successfully running a resource centre with pre-printing and printing facility on subsidized rates for trade unions and social outfits.

Over 3000 working children were educated in five years (1996-2000) in three schools called Union Schools for Working Children.

Educated more than 3000 workers through 20 Adult Literacy Centres

Strategy & Focus

LEF engages in a sustainable process of change through a wide-ranging movement for enabling workers to demand economic justice, eradicate poverty by challenging neo-liberal policies and politics affecting the masses, especially women and marginalized communities. The process includes:

Organizing and training trade unions, encouraging women participation especially from informal sector, Linking issues with health and environment, Emphasizing on networking with other initiatives and movements, Raising consciousness regarding political, legal, social and economic rights, Linking peace, gender equality and development with human rights, and Using integrated participatory approach to execute its activities and plans.

Through its activities LEF focuses on workers’ rights, education, gender equality, peace, democracy and development.

Grassroot Organization

National level General Body has 43 members (of them 11 women) nominated by trade unions and workers’ organizations affiliated with LEF.

An 11-member Board including 3 women, elected by General Body every two years in LEF Congress helps in identifying policy guidelines for the organization.

LEF has staff of 20 including 09 women and covers all parts of the country through its activities.

Current Projects

1. Promotion of Workers’ Rights in Pakistan

2. Strengthening Brick Kiln Workers’ Movement

3. Non Formal Education Child Labourers

4. Labour Community Organizations

5. Fikr-e-Nou School (established in Kashmir after the earthquake)

6. Piloting An Intervention To Counter Child Labour In One Slum Of Lahore

7. Community Literacy and Facilitation Centers

8. Awareness Raising and Strengthening of Brick Kiln Workers in Pakistan

9. Strengthening Trade Unions – A Pathway for Ensuring Labour Right in Pakistan

10. Livelihood KPK Project-Vocational Training for Females

Completed Projects

ORIENTATION SESSIONS/STUDY CIRCLES

Every year, LEF arranges scores of orientation sessions and study circles for workers in their areas to familiarize with and educate about existing realties, relevant issues and happenings both at national and international level. Orientation sessions and study circles are the first stage for engaging workers in activities for guiding LEF’s planning and intervention strategy and involving them in the broader movement for human rights.

CAPACITY BUILDING

LEF conducts training workshops, seminars and conferences every year on trade unionism, democracy, peace, human rights concepts, gender equality, health specially HIV/AIDS, violence against women, family laws to raise awareness and train workers to take actions at their own in their respective areas.

LEF has played a vital role in developing three unions of home-based women workers involved in bangle making, garments and embroidery, initiated and got registered Home Based Women Workers Federation, now a representative body the government is obliged to negotiate with concerning their issues.

NETWORKING

LEF is affiliated with International Federation of Workers’ Education Associations (IFWEA), South Asia Labour Forum, Joint Action Committee for Peoples Rights, Home-Net Pakistan, Anti-war Committee, Pakistan Peace Coalition, Pakistan Social Forum and Anti-Privatization Alliance.

Main networking efforts of LEF include:

Initiated and strengthened Labour Relief Campaign in collaboration with other like-minded organizations after the devastating earthquake of October 8, 2005. A similarly successful campaign was launched after the 2010 floods.

On LEF initiative, a Trade Union Action Committee for Minimum Wages has been formed in collaboration with 11 organizations to seek implementation of the minimum wages.

RESEARCH AND PUBLICATIONS

LEF maps public issues, develops and publishes situation analysis and user-friendly training manuals to highlight realities of workers’ lives and build opinion and envisage subsequent collective actions.

It publishes a monthly newsletter “Labour Education”, produces quick and user-friendly information packages, issue-based and motivational posters and leaflets to meet immediate and long-term needs of workers.

Labour Education Foundation

Honoured with
SILVER ROSE AWARD

Urdu Monthly Newsletter
Labour Education

L E F
Documentaries

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