Domestic Workers

The all-India survey for domestic workers was conducted by the labour bureau, Chandigarh. It was started by Shri Bhupender Yadav, the Union Minister for Labour and Employment. 

The data concluded from the survey would help in the upcoming employment policy of the country. This survey would be conducted among the five national job surveys conducted periodically. The survey covered 37 states and Union Territories. It covered 1.5 lakh households and 742 districts. 

Objectives Of The Survey 

Following are the objectives of the survey work for domestic workers- 

• Evaluate the number of domestic workers at the national and state level
• Estimate the number of households that have live-in or live-out domestic workers
• An average number of domestic workers appointed by different kinds of households
• Evaluate the average number of domestic workers appointed by each state, separating the urban and rural parts of a city. Distribute the appointment of domestic workers by the states based on their differences in socio-demographic characteristics

Importance Of The Survey Work For Domestic Workers

• The domestic workers of India hold a significant portion of the total employment of workers in the informal sector
• The data and the magnitude of the employment conditions of the domestic workers are not well researched. The survey is intended to provide the missing data on domestic workers 
• The survey work for domestic workers would help the government in the process of effective policy making and help them understand the issues of special and vulnerable aspects of the labour in our country

Data on Domestic Workers

• The 8.56 crore population of the country is registered as the informal sector workers according to the e-Shram portal. 8.8% of this registered population is domestic workers
• 38 crore population of India works in the informal sector 
• At the current rate of registration, India would see a total of 3-3.5 crore of the population as domestic workers in the country 
• After agriculture and construction, domestic workers are the third-largest category of workers in India
• India is part of the International Labour Organisation Convention  C-189. It’s a Domestic Workers Convention held in 2011 

The Problems faced by Domestic Workers

• The work done by a domestic worker which includes cooking, dish-washing, and babysitting is not recognised as work by the state
• The domestic work activity in our country is too vast and employs too many people. It disrupts its regulation
• The Minimum Wages Act and other labour laws do not apply to domestic workers
• There is no legal parameter protecting the rights of a domestic worker. They can be hired or fired at will
• There are multiple and inaccessible spaces for domestic workers. Organising them is a task
• The demand for better wages and work environments for domestic workers is weak. There is no organised union for them
• The sector of domestic workers is unorganised in India. Most of the domestic workers are Adivasis or Dalits. Most of them are migrant workers
• There is not one single law that specifically deals with this sector. Women constitute two-thirds of the domestic workers’ workforce in our country
• Most of the domestic workers in our country do not meet the legal working age and their wages are less than the minimum wages decided by the government
• The states of Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Bihar have fixed wages for domestic workers. In other states, their wages are too low for people working in areas where the cost of living is also very high 
• Some of the domestic workers are abused in households. They are tortured, beaten, and sexually assaulted by their employers

Female Domestic Workers In India 

• The number of female domestic workers in India has been growing constantly. The financial crisis faced in the families compels the females to work as domestic workers in India
• The employers extract maximum work from the domestic workers in exchange for a minimum wage. The work of a domestic worker is considered to be unskilled as women are traditionally considered to be capable of doing home chores
• Most of the domestic workers are migrants who come to the urban cities in search of work. There is an increase in the number of domestic workers but they have very poor living conditions

Problems Faced By Female Domestic Workers

• Low wages 
• Extra work 
• Long working hours 
• Lack of holidays 
• Harassment 
• Sexual exploitation
• Physical torture 
• Ill-treatment 
• Lack of welfare facilities
• Absence of social security measures 
• Lack of rest 
• Development of fatigue 
• Lack of freedom 
• Low level of job skills 
• Absence of bargaining power 

Women domestic workers are scolded by their employers in case of delay in doing their work. They are not allowed to build good relations with their neighbours.

They are afraid to report sexual harassment at the workplace and are asked to remain silent due to power dynamics. 

The increase in the number of domestic workers is due to the shift from an agrarian-based economy to a manufacturing and service-based economy. 

Conclusion

Domestic workers are a part of the informal sector in India. The data on the domestic workers and their employment conditions is not well researched and easily accessible. This survey was conducted to organise the data of domestic workers in India.