DOMESTIC WORKERS – DEVALUED AND DISCRIMINATED

TEXT: TARUN KANTI BOSETEXT: TARUN KANTI BOSETEXT: TARUN KANTI BOSETEXT: TARUN KANTI BOSE

PHOTOS: RAM BHARAT YADAVPHOTOS: RAM BHARAT YADAVPHOTOS: RAM BHARAT YADAVPHOTOS: RAM BHARAT YADAV

There are estimated to be 50 million domestic workers in India. Majority of them There are estimated to be 50 million domestic workers in India. Majority of them There are estimated to be 50 million domestic workers in India. Majority of them There are estimated to be 50 million domestic workers in India. Majority of them are are are are dalits, not protected by any law or contract. dalits, not protected by any law or contract. dalits, not protected by any law or contract. dalits, not protected by any law or contract.

omestic workers, nearly all of them female, many of them minors being abused and exploited by their employers. The abuses range from withholding of wages to starvation, not allowing time for sleep or rest, to

beatings, torture, and sexual exploitation. Responding to such occupational malignancy, domestic workers unions, co-operatives and forums, media and NGOs have raised voice against it, and had been demanding for legislation to regulate the employment of domestic workers and protect their rights. But so far the Indian Government has responded to such calls with little more than apathy.

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To ratify the ILO To ratify the ILO To ratify the ILO To ratify the ILO Convention Convention Convention Convention 189189189189

Domestic workers continue to be excluded from the Indian Government’s central list of scheduled employments under the Minimum Wages Act of 1948. - It is not covered under either the Payment of Wages Act (1936) or the Workmen’s Compensation Act (1923) or the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act (1970) or the Maternity Benefit Act (1961). Four years ago, the National Commission for Women (NCW) drafted ‘Domestic Workers Welfare and Social Security Act, 2010’ Bill. It’s been gathering dust. Still it remains as a proposal. In June 2011, India was a signatory to International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 189, which mandates decent working conditions for domestic workers, but it has still not ratified it. The Indian Government, since then has not moved to put the legislation to protect the domestic workers.

- Even the recommendations made by the ‘Task Force on Domestic Workers’ constituted by the earlier Central Government-led National Advisory Council (NAC) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi was diluted and it put brakes on drafting any comprehensive policy on Domestic Workers, said by Ramendra Kumar, President, Delhi Gharelu Kamgar Sangathan (Delhi Domestic Workers Organisation). 1 million Domestic maids in India’s Capital1 million Domestic maids in India’s Capital1 million Domestic maids in India’s Capital1 million Domestic maids in India’s Capital The Indian capital’s population of 13 million Delhi has estimated to have 1 million domestic workers. Delhi Gharelu Kamgar Sangathan (Delhi Domestic Workers' Organisation) having a membership of 15,000 domestic workers in Delhi NCR (National Capital Territory) has been doing a pioneering work in bringing the issue of domestic workers and their rights at the centre stage. . Our thrust in the campaigns has been to make the Indian Government and other

agencies to accept the domestic work as ‘work’ and domestic worker as ‘worker’

and lend it the dignity and reorganization of labour. Consequently all benefits and

rights that accrue to workers be extended to this huge workforce (of which no

census statistics are available) so far unprotected by any labour legislation

-Minimum labour standards should be applied to achieve decent conditions of

work and a living wage by including domestic workers as unorganised sector

worker.” said Anita Juneja, General Secretary, Domestic Workers Organisation.

Rinki RotaRinki RotaRinki RotaRinki Rota

Organising domestic workers a huge challengeOrganising domestic workers a huge challengeOrganising domestic workers a huge challengeOrganising domestic workers a huge challenge

Domestic workers work for private households, often without clear terms of

employment, unregistered in any book. Organising domestic workers has been a

huge challenge as the work place is inaccessible and multiple, marked by high rate

of attrition and instability

---- Majority of the domestic workers are dalits, indigenous people and other

marginalised sections of society and large numbers of them are migrant workers,

says Subhash Bhatnagar, Chairperson, Nirmala Niketan Co-operative, an important

part of National Platform for Domestic Workers.

- National Platform for Domestic Workers was created in 2012, comprising of

several domestic workers unions and members based organisations drawn from

different states of India, to campaign for the enactment of a Comprehensive

Legislation for Domestic Workers. Nirmala Niketan Co-operative has been playing

active role in this campaign along with other unions and other organisations.

- Nirmal Niketan, a domestic workers co-operative having a membership of 600

domestic workers has been breaking the new ground for the returnee domestic

workers by rehabilitating those who had returned to their native places. It had

opened a handloom weaving unit in Gumla district of Jharkhand engaging the

returnee tribal domestic workers.

As 24-year old Rinki Rota, a tribal woman from Assam, who worked as a domestic

worker ran away from the clutches of her exploitative and abusive employer and

was taught driving by Nirmala Niketan. Brimming with confidence, she drives

through crowded roads of Delhi with utmost care and ease.

Placement agencies selling girlsPlacement agencies selling girlsPlacement agencies selling girlsPlacement agencies selling girls

Shahri Mahila Kamgar Union (Urban Domestic Workers Union) affiliated to National Alliance of Domestic Workers has a membership of 1000 domestic workers. The union actively works among the domestic workers of South Delhi and Faridabad in NCR. - Most of the girls brought to Delhi by illegal placement agencies to work as domestic workers are minor girls these girls are physically exploited by those running illegal placement agencies, said Anita Kapoor, Convenor, Urban Domestic Workers Union. -On 4th September 2014 in collaboration with Bandua Mukti Morcha (Bonded Liberation Front) and police we launched raids and recued girls like Lucas and Mariyam, who were trafficked by placement agencies to work as domestic workers. These girls were illegally detained and physically abused by the agents.

- Distress migration from the states like Jharkhand, Assam, Odisha, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Bihar etc. have put these girls, who are often illiterate, without any support system in Delhi, at the mercy of human traffickers, assorted middle men/ agents and, at the end of the food chain, the employers. In the absence of any regulation, these young girls are vulnerable to exploitation at every step of the way,” emphatically puts forth angry and ebullient Anita Kapoor

Shalinee NashcarrShalinee NashcarrShalinee NashcarrShalinee Nashcarr, Co-ordinator, Domestic Workers Forum, which has

membership of 4660 in Delhi NCR said

- Woman carrying cement at a construction site for eight hours stands to earn

more than a maid working as a care giver in a private home for eight hours.

- Similarly, a woman employed as a cleaner by the government or a private

employer outside the household would earn more than someone who does

cleaning inside a home.

(Original EngOriginal EngOriginal EngOriginal English article published in Finlish article published in Finlish article published in Finlish article published in Finnnnnish ish ish ish Language Language Language Language magazine magazine magazine magazine ‘‘‘‘Tyomaana Tyomaana Tyomaana Tyomaana

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