On Women’s Day, Dhadak Kamgaar Union appeals to CM to revive, better utilise Welfare Board for Domestic Workers

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 10: A sector that employs over 45 lakh people, 70% of whom are women, remains unorganised and largely unprotected by the law even today. As we celebrate International Women’s Day, Dhadak Kamgaar Union drew attention towards the rampant abuse of women working as domestic helpers. Union founder Abhijeet Rane met chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday with the appeal to revive and utilise the Welfare Board for Domestic Workers.

Rane pointed out that despite being a signatory of the International Labour Organisation’s convention that laid down the guidelines regarding the rights of participants from informal economy in 2011, India still does not have any legal provisions for the protection of domestic workers. He said the workers in this unorganised sector often come from marginalised communities and face problems like low wages, no job security, verbal and sometimes even physical harassment from their employers. After hearing out the issue, CM Fadnavis assured to get it resolved at the earliest.

“Between 1959 and 2009, several bills have been placed in front of the Parliament to protect the rights of domestic workers but we do not have an Act on the subject yet. Even the Supreme Court lamented the lack of specific legal protection of domestic workers in January this year, directing the Union Government to form an expert committee to draw the necessary legal framework,” informed Rane.

Asserting the need for legal protection of domestic workers, Rane spoke about how news of severe abuse of domestic workers keeps popping every few months from different corners of the country. The stories range from beating up minor girls working as house helpers on allegations of theft to sexual abuse of live-in domestic workers, and even seemingly minor issues like not being allowed to take the lift in appartment complexes.