Recent Updates

On Zoom
October 26, 2023
9:00 a.m. EDT, 13:00 UTC, 18:00 Lahore (Pakistan)

Workers in traditional rural industries and international supply chains seldom receive much occupational health attention. Saeed Awan took this as a challenge. As head of the Center for Improvement of Working Conditions and Environment (CIWCE) in Lahore Pakistan from 1988 until his work-related death in 2014 he reached out to workers in a wide range of local industries: makers of palm mats, soccer balls, surgical instruments, leather goods, and hand-made brick; stone crushers, rag-pickers and garbage collectors; livestock raisers and date palm and cotton farmers; servers in tea stalls and car repairers. He was convinced that occupational risks could be greatly reduced with surprisingly simple means such as low-cost adaptations to traditional tools (e.g. carpet looms) and cartoon-based pamphlets. Word of his experience brought Awan into policy-making forums both within Pakistan and internationally where he was particularly known for his success in addressing child labour in hazardous occupations.

Saeed`s determination and his quiet, practical and culturally-sensitive approach to occupational health and safety has been an inspiration to WHWB and laid the foundation for its Working Groups on Brick Factories and Young Workers.

The world of work is transforming at a rapid pace. Workplace robotics and artificial intelligence, flexible work models and the burgeoning gig economy are some of the factors driving this change. From business leaders and human resource managers to social services, hospitality, mining, and NGOs (Non-Government Organisations) – we’re all thinking differently about risks in the modern world.

This conference asks how we can evolve our thinking to tackle new risks and seize opportunities, such as the blending of work and home life, the connection with holistic health and mental health, and solutions that use human-centred design and behavioural insights for harm prevention.