LABOUR RIGHTS AND GLOBAL STANDARDS: USING INTERNATIONAL INSTRUMENTS TO EXAMINE JUST AND FAVOURABLE WORK CONDITIONS IN PAKISTAN

Abstrak

Just and favorable conditions of work (JFCW) are essential components of labor rights. These include remuneration, fair wages, reasonable working hours, and a healthy and safe environment. Thus, the right to such conditions guarantees a minimum standard for all workers as the concept promotes just and fair labor practices at worksites. This concept gained international recognition when the United Nations (UN) and its specialized agency, the International Labor Organization (ILO), acknowledged it as part of their key principles and even as a fundamental human right. Nevertheless, the idea may appear overly idealistic for some countries due to differing economic and social backgrounds. This article aims to discuss the legal framework and conditions of employment in Pakistan using international instruments, particularly the UN Declaration of Human Rights and relevant ILO conventions as benchmarks. The article highlights common violations of the right to JFCW at the workplace in Pakistan and analyses the legal framework, current implementation, and enforcement mechanism. The study adopts qualitative, socio-legal, doctrinal, and comparative approaches. In light of its findings, the study recommends improvement in terms of law reform and implementation to better protect and promote the right to JFCW for workers in Pakistan. The gap between Pakistan's labor conditions and international standards provides a foundation for guiding future policy reforms that seek to align national practices with global labor rights instruments.