Observing the International Domestic Workers Day a workshop for domestic helpers was organised at Uday training hall here on Wednesday.
The workshop was organised by Uday Social Development Society and Institute of Social Research and Development (ISRD), in collaboration with National Domestic worker movement, Action Aid and European commission. The main objective of program was to increase awareness on legal rights of domestic workers and seek solutions regarding issues faced.
Addressing the event, Francis Antony, Director, ISRD shared that from last three years they are working with domestic workers in Bhopal and Jabalpur. He emphasized the need of domestic workers getting united and demand for their rights. lizy Thomas, the Director of Uday Society shared her Doctoral Thesis and the findings of her PhD research conducted in Indore with 300 women domestic workers. She said that 99.3 percent domestic workers claim legal contract between them and their employers of their work. Besides, they also should be addressed by their names and nor maid or servant.
It was also discussed that domestic work should be included in the organized sector by fixing their wage and hours of working. All the women persuade the Indian Govt. to ratify IlO (International labour Organization) as India has signed and agreed to endorse the C 189 law. Domestic workers shared improvement in personality and family after joining the trade union of domestic workers.
They also shared their issues at workplace such as no provision of additional money for extra work, disrespect and use of abusive language. As many as 86 domestic workers and women leaders participated in the programme. later, all the participants pledged to unite more women in to the union of domestic workers to demand their rights.