Reiko Tsushima is senior specialist, gender equality and women workers' rights, International Labour Organisation, sub-regional for South Asia. She speaks to Meenakshi Sinha about the condition of domestic workers worldwide, especially India:
What is the current state of domestic workers (DWs) worldwide, especially India?
Domestic work absorbs a significant proportion of the total workforce that includes 4-10 per cent of the total employment in developing countries and 1-2.5 per cent in industrialised countries. Out of these, about 90 per cent of them are women. In India, there's growing prevalence of domestic work: it has grown by 222 per cent since 1999-2000. NSS Data (2004-05) states that there are 4.75 million DWs in India. Nearly 90 per cent of them are again, women. They account for more than 12 per cent of the women workers in urban India.
What are the main concerns of a domestic help today?
The greatest challenge is that domestic work is not seen as a 'real' occupation. DWs are not covered under any legislation. About 84 per cent workers in urban areas and 92 per cent in rural areas get wages much below the minimum wage. Only five states in India have notified minimum wages so far. DWs are unable to demand/negotiate decent wages, proper working conditions, weekly offs, time for rest, privacy etc.
The foremost task is to treat domestic work as 'real' work. Statistical details about them need to be compiled with greater accuracy. Society must be encouraged to recognise their importance and contribution to the economy. To this effect, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) is working closely with trade unions to establish their organisational strength and enhance their negotiation power. India's ministry of labour and employment, in collaboration with the Delhi government and ILO, has started a skill development initiative for DWs in Delhi. So far, 350 DWs have been trained in the level 1 training and around 5000 more would be trained soon.
What kind of collaboration does the ILO have with DWs?
ILO is partnering with large central trade unions to unionise DWs. A pilot project is underway and is showing good progress. In a recent national consultation organised by the ILO, participants from leading trade unions such as AITUC, INTUC, HMS, BMS and SEWA made draft recommendations, which will help formulate the final recommendations. These will be raised by the Indian delegation at the upcoming International Labour Conference in Geneva in June 2010.
How important it is to have a legislation for DWs?
A legislation that addresses the rights of DWs is indispensable today. A draft Bill has been proposed by the NCW to regulate the conditions of domestic work. It highlights the needs for definition, working conditions and employee benefits, regulation for placement agencies to prevent exploitation, violence and s*xual harassment cases. There's also a suggestion to include DWs in the existing labour legislations, such as Minimum Wages Act, 1948, Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, Workmen's Compensation Act, 1926, Inter State Migrant Workers Act, 1976, Payment of Wages Act, 1936, Equal Remuneration Act, 1976, Employees State Insurance Act, Employees Provident Fund Act, Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972. Legislations have been formulated for DWs across the world in countries like South Africa, Hong Kong, China, Spain etc. Apart from addressing gaps in legislations, the mindset of society needs to be changed.
