The fundamental rights of laborer in Afghanistan, as stipulated in the international instruments, are not observed by employers and private companies. Laborers’ rights and dignity are violated to a great extent. Long work hour, low payment, forced labor and child labor are rife across Afghanistan. Since laborers seek to make the ends meet and fear being fired, they simply accept any conditions set by employers and companies. The international standards are simply trampled upon.
Freedom of association, elimination of forced labor and child labor, elimination of discrimination in terms of employment, decent work, social justice and equal opportunities, are the international standard of labor and binding for all countries to observe. To put it simply, international labor standards are the human rights to be respected in labor market so as to safeguard the human dignity of the laborers. That is, standards are a framework in which the relations of employees and employers are organized and set to support the laborers. Sustainable development and protection of the laborers’ dignity are the main reason behind the endorsement of International Labor Organization.
It has to be noted that the labor standards, considering the cultural, economic, social and political differences, are flexible to the extent that a country is allowed to implement it in the frame of its national values and requirements. The labor standards are global and all states are obliged to eliminate forced labor and child labor. Meanwhile, discrimination based on skin color, race, sex, sect, region, etc. are not acceptable. The standards are also tripartite, including the government, the employers, and the laborer. The government’s role is highly prominent and since it is committed to protect the rights of laborers. The International Labor Organization is supposed to update the standards, which have large realm.
There are several objectives followed by international standards: First, to create an environment for positive competition, which has been capitalized on by industrial countries. Moral values have to be exercised in trade and economic issues. For example, the ban on trades of slaves, child, pornography, and narcotic drug are intended to protect the rights and dignity of people, which are deeply rooted in moral values. These issues should be banned at the cost of financial and economic interests as global consensus is formed in this regard. Second, global peace is based on social justice. It is self-explanatory that inappropriate work environment, lack of justice, and deprivation and difficulties are most likely to put sustainability at risk and jeopardize global security. Hence, measures have to be taken to counter injustice, which leads to sustainable peace. And peace and social justice were born with the International Labor Organization. Safeguarding human dignity is the third objectives of the international standards. Humans should never ever be considered as instrument but as “principle of the end” and as the main objective.
It is evident that human dignity is natural and inalienable. Hence, the dignity of laborers should never be violated. To put it succinctly, the rights and dignity of laborers have to be respected, a balanced relation be created between employees and laborers in working environment, and laborers have to be respected.
All states, without exception, have to respect and protect the rights and dignity of laborers through implementing the international labor standards. They need to put an end to discrimination in working environment and employment on the basis of race, color, and social and political orientation.
However, the international standards are barely exercised in Afghanistan since the system is corrupt and discrimination in employment and working environment is flagrantly practiced.
After all, force labor and child labor are also rife across the country and the government does not monitor the companies and lacks control on trade markets.
Laborers suffer severely in labor markets since international standards are not exercised at all. Employers force their employees to work long hour but do not pay them decently. Laborers are not able to protest since they fear being fired.
The government has to control the labor market and monitor companies so as to put an end to their lawlessness. In such a case, there is a strong need for combating corruption within the government system so that one should not be employed through nepotism, bribe, etc. On the other hand, one must not be rejected or fired due to their race, color, or political tendencies.
If discrimination in working environment and employment process continue, the country will not progress at all and people have the right to protest against injustice. The government has to find out and tackle the challenges the sooner the better.