Support Domestic Workers Give a Missed Call to 7829855888

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to focus the issues and challenges faced by informal workers in the country, especially migrant workers. The government and local administration
has stepped-in to support and reach out to several of these workers with relief packages, programmes and schemes, but many workers remain left out of the fold. Amongst the unprotected are the domestic workers, most of whom are women.

There are an estimated 50 million domestic workers whose livelihood is in lurch as their employability is in doldrums while the infection lasts. Many workers have complained about
withheld wages, and domestic workers have no protection and no access to social security.

Many domestic workers left the metro cities and took the road home to their native places. In their home states, these workers remain mostly confined to home and are finding it difficult
to get any suitable employment. Domestic workers are finding it difficult to get back to employment, as there is fear of infection amongst the employers, and they are facing both discrimination and stigma arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite that the danger of infection is equally present for domestic workers from the employers.

We at ActionAid, Women Wage Watch, organistaions of domestic workers, civil society organisations, networks of organisations and solidarity circles from across the country have joined hands to raise awareness about the challenges faced by the domestic workers and to draw the attention of the Union and State Governments to their plight, so that schemes,
policies and laws can be passed to advance and secure rights of domestic workers.

Please give a missed call to 7829855888 to lend your voice to many who want:
 Immediate relief to be provided to domestic workers through cash transfers till the pandemic ends.
 Easy registration of domestic workers as as ‘workers’ under the Labour Department through already existing systems – police verification forms, resident welfare association a letter, union memberships, letter from placement agencies, civil society
organisations and other associations.  
 A comprehensive legislation to secure rights of domestic workers.
 Creation of a social security scheme for domestic workers by the Union and State Governments.
 Immediate notification to all resident welfare associations and employers to ensure the safety and work security for domestic workers.