Sanitary Workers of Islamabad: Unsung Heroes I Full Documentary

Who cleans our city? Do you spot them among the beautiful city landscape and lush green scenery? Do you know that the cleanliness of the city is their biggest achievement? However, many of sanitary workers' achievements in Islamabad, Pakistan often go unsung until after one has left the job.
Two years into retirement, Irshad Begum does not want her last wish to go to waste.
'Sometimes when I get called names because of my religion, I pray to God and wish myself and my family a real happiness. I still appreciate what I do as a city sweeper, it pays for my children's education and provides a home and food for all of us. I also wish for occupational safety and fair treatment for the young generations of sanitary workers in Islamabad', said Irshad during the filming of the documentary.
Sanitary workers in Islamabad, Pakistan, face numerous challenges that highlight their precarious situation and the systemic discrimination they endure. Their plight is characterized by low wages, delayed payments, lack of job security, and inadequate health and safety measures. But as Chaudhary Muhammad Yasin, General Secretary of CDA Mazdoor Union reiterated that we work indiscriminately. As union, we always bargain for all employee regardless of employees’ status or position. 'In the Memorandum of Settlement with CDA, which hasn’t been implemented yet, we demanded that all the CDA’s sites offices at various points in Islamabad must have dedicated spaces for sanitary workers, especially for women, where they can have all the basic facilities like washrooms and lockers,' said Chaudhary Muhammad Yasin.
When we met Maliha Jamal, Deputy DG Civic Management of the Capital Development Authority, we asked her how we can provide these people who clean our mess in the city, the decent work they deserve from these state levels? She affirmatively told us that it starts with education. It starts with teaching your children how to respect your elders in the same way teaching your children how to respect someone outside helping you and you know, cleaning up your space, which is your own responsibility.
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