It has been a life of hard labour for 65-year-old Elsie Antony, a worker under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
“Whichever government comes to power, they should be able to see, acknowledge and reward regular workers like us,” said the resident of Neericode in Alangad, who was a construction worker for several years before she took up work under the MGNREGA. Both her pension and her wages are crucial to women like her, she says, since they at least cover the cost of medication.
Steady employment, wages, and the safety of women and children are on the minds of few women voters in Ernakulam.
“Despite age or the house work we do, if we are unable to earn, we turn into burdens on family and society,” 54-year-old Reena Jayaprakash chimes in, pointing out the significance of wages for women. She had an erratic job, cleaning soda bottles before she took up work under the MGNREGA, squeezing in domestic chores at lunch time or when work ends at 5 p.m. More work is always welcome, as is a higher wage, she says.
“The 2018 floods, which destroyed parts of our home, and the COVID lockdown dealt a severe blow to work and earning. But we have been able to pull through with help from the government,” said Beena Murali, another resident of Neericode. A new government should focus on issues of women’s safety, both within and outside the house, she said. “Women are subjected to so much violence, even at the hands of family members. But this is hardly ever addressed. Punishment should be ensured for perpetrators of this sort of violence,” she said.
What does she think about having a woman as Chief Minister? “That’s something that I would like to see. A woman would be able to understand and address our problems better,” said Ms. Beena, who is also an MGNREGA worker.
Women’s safety is also a matter of concern to Asha Aby, a 32-year-old IT professional from Kalamassery. “We are still afraid to step out after dark,” she said.
“For women from marginalised communities, sustainable income is a big issue. Violence is always an issue. The government has tried in the last five years to set up helplines and support services. But we need to make sure that they are coordinated and taken forward properly,” said Aleyamma Vijayan of Sakhi, a not-for-profit based in Thiruvananthapuram. “A problem that is likely to get very serious in Kerala is that of senior citizens, a large section of whom are women. Housing still continues to be a serious issue. During field work after the flood, we found that a lot of single women have dependants who are disabled. Even if there are government schemes for housing, they are not able to fulfil it, because there is nobody to run around and get the construction done. This needs special attention,” she adds.
