Domestic workers, health and plants - India in 2019

“My name is Sunanda. I have a sister and also a brother who became handicapped in an accident. I have been working as a domestic worker for 8 years now. For the moment, I only work in two houses, because I’m getting older and I have stomach problems. I didn’t have the courage to speak with my employer about raising my salary or about having any holidays. I was too afraid of losing my job. However, I was interested in exploring new possibilities. In 2011, I attended a meeting of domestic workers in my area. I was impressed, as they were speaking about the rights of domestic workers. After that, I attended the meetings regularly. I became aware of my rights and I had more courage to stand for them. I left my previous job because I didn't get a salary increase. I am no longer afraid of losing my job, since I have many contacts with other domestic workers who can refer me to other and better jobs. What's more: I am the leader of the group now. I mobilize people for meetings, programmes and demonstration and I help the workers with enrolling in the Welfare Board.”

First, NDWM (National Domestic Workers Movement) is working with domestic workers, child domestic workers and migrant workers in 23 states of India. They work towards achieving dignity for them, at both a national and international level. NDWM and its federation NDWF (National Domestic Workers Federation) gather over 50.000 domestic workers monthly. Around 40.406 members were given awareness on labour rights, such as minimum wages.

Another testimony is from Jacinta (42), who is also a domestic worker:
“As a single mother, I used to work from morning till night, with a shift from one employers’ house to another and from one locality to another, just to meet the needs of my family. Initially my wage was very low, ranging from 500 INR per month (6 EUR) in each house. But I managed to send my son to school and later, apart from the domestic work, I started my own small business by selling vegetables in the evening. 

I joined the Union and got more confidence to run my own small business. NDWF provided me with a loan of 8.000 INR (nearly 100EUR) to extend my business. I also participated in the skill development training programmes on cooking and in other training and capacity building programmes. My wage has increased and I’m currently working for 5 families with a payment of 10.000 INR monthly (120EUR). Now I’m able to save some money every month, with which I gradually want to build a small house where I can live peacefully with my son”.

In India, the minimum wages for domestic workers are still very low. NDWM has established a forum in which domestic workers can raise their voices to get paid accordingly. If the employers still refuse, the domestic workers show their ‘wage card’. This is a card prepared by NDWM in different states for a better understanding of wages from the employers. However, employers often still fail to pay them enough. Moreover, the unorganized workers have recently fallen out of the minimum wages, as was expressed in the Working People’s Charter. Therefore, the unions have to lobby more rather than perform activities and quick changes in the field. But after three years, the impact of these activities can be noticed: almost 250.000 workers have significantly improved their existing jobs.

WSM also channels funds to the Domestic Workers Movement from Music for Life and the Brussels Region, which has sistered with Chennai, a city in the south. Brussels Region supports the NDWM Tamil Nadu branch in supporting domestic workers and their children who have been evited from the Chennai city center slums and had been relocated 40km away, causing many to lose their jobs and lacking schools.

 Next, access to health is one of the two priority areas for AREDS in the South of India. Medical care is almost entirely privatized in India, which makes health care services very expensive. The average cost of treatment in a private hospital is around 25.850 INR (310 EUR) as compared to 6.120 INR (74 EUR) in a public hospital . That’s why AREDS has been focusing its activities on promoting native medicine practices. Most of the health-related problems in rural areas are common illnesses, like fever, cold, cough, etc. These are curable with native medicines. Many of the herbs and shrubs that grow in villages have medicinal values. These plants can either be used as raw medicine and consumed or they can be cooked along with normal food items. “Above all, people don’t need to spend money for these medicinal plants, as they grow on the fields. But they need to know about the process of making medicinal plants into consumable medicines. That’s why we prepare medicines with native medicinal plants on the one hand and give training on the preparation of medicines with the medicinal plants on the other hand”, said Samy, founder of AREDS.  Almost 30.000 people (80% women) now have better social security coverage or access to health after three years.

Finally, AREDS succeeded to raise awareness on preventive health practices among 4.817 members (61% women and 71% adolescents). Almost 4.500 people attended trainings on the basics of health care (91% women and 66% adolescents). Concerning labour standards, AREDS organized more than 1.704 members of which 74% were women. They gave basic training on labour rights to 577 members and over 1.000 workers underwent training on trade union movement.

These stories illustrate why the WSM India partners focus on a decent living income for the informal sector (such as domestic workers, agricultural workers, etc.).

Over 1 million Indians were reached in 2019:

• Over 660.000 people (53% women and 44% youth) are more aware of their labour and rights through campaigns and outreach.
• Trade unions organized over 75.000 workers, 65% women and 40% youth.
• Over 17.000 people, 88% women and 41% youth, received basic training in labour standards, social security and health. Over 12.000 Indians, 90% women and 40% young workers, received advanced training (of leaders or of Trainers).
• Over 2.000 workers, almost all women and 38% young workers, benefited from legal assistance for labour rights.
• Advocacy: Nearly 300.000 people (36% women and 48% young workers) were mobilized at grassroots level (ex. demonstrations, petitions…).

India Partners: CWM-I, AREDS, NDWM, NDWF, CFTUI                Budget 2019: 244.872 €

Donor: DGD, Brussels Region, Province of West Flanders                      Programme: 2017-2021