Amid a growing movement to recognise the rights of domestic workers, a majority of them women, and demand the governments to provide social security, the Andhra Pradesh Domestic Workers’ Federation is celebrating the International Domestic Workers’ Day here on Tuesday.
Leading voices in the movement for the rights of domestic workers will be present at the programme being held at the St. Ann’s Mano Vikasa Kendram at Mallikarjunapet 3rd lane.
Convener of the federation Vyakula Mary, who has been leading the movement for the last 20 years, says that domestic workers have been fighting for their rights for many years but the Central and State governments have refused to recognise their movement. Close to three crore persons are engaged in domestic work in India but they do not have basic facilities like PF, ESI coverage and other health benefits.
Even as leading countries have recognized the struggle by domestic workers, India, being a signatory of the International Labour Organisation Convention C-189, has not ratified the treaty by bringing in a legislation. Currently, only two Acts, the Social Security Act-2008 and the Sexual Harassment at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, Redressal) Act, provide a semblance of protection to domestic workers, she says.
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sr. Mary demanded that the PM should address the issue in his radio talk, Mann ki baat , ratify the ILO C-189, bring in a comprehensive legislation to protect the rights of domestic workers and ensure that domestic workers have a holiday once a week.
Draft Bill
The National Platform for Domestic Workers (NPDW) is a platform which has brought together organisations working in this field and it was under their pressure, a draft Bill, Domestic Workers’ Regulation of Work and Social Security Bill, 2017 was made. The provisions of this Bill include setting up of welfare boards for domestic workers, registration of workers in the welfare boards, provision of welfare schemes by collecting 1% cess from property tax, accidental insurance coverage, health coverage to family and pensions to those who crossed 60 years of age.
