‘Women must raise their voice to protect rights’

Justice Shivaraj V. Patil Foundation, Action Aid Association, India, and John Lewis Foundation, organised a workshop to create legal awareness among women garment workers, here on Sunday.

Managing Trustee of SOCO Trust S. Selva Gomathi delivered the presidential address. Journalist Bharathi Anand, who spoke at the event, said unorganised women workers, especially those who are in the garment sector, must raise their voice in unison to protect their rights. The equality between men and women begins from families. Parents must not discriminate between their sons and daughters. They must treat them equally, she said.

Tamil Nadu Government Transport Corporation Staff Federation joint secretary S. Sampath asked the women workers to ensure that their employers were regularly contributing towards their provident fund. If they did not pay gratuity to the workers, they could complain to the Deputy Commissioner of Labour, he said.

Madurai High Court advocate R. Karunanidhi said the Constitution of India guaranteed several rights to the workers. But, still, there were discrepancies in implementing them. The workers must jointly strive to ensure that their rights were implemented, he said.