Migrant Women Workers.

Women constitute an overwhelming majority of migrants. Female migrants are less represented in regular jobs and more likely to be self-employed than non-migrant women. Domestic work has emerged as an important occupation for migrant women and girls. Women form more than half of the interstate migrant workforce.92% of the 20 million domestic workers are women and children and 20% of these females are under 14 years of age but their wages are less compared to men. They are subjected to sexual harassment. By conservative estimates only 15% of the cases of sexual assault are reported. Women are not provided with any extra facilities to take care of their children while they are on work. 73% of these Migrant Women workers belong to rural areas.

The Government of India made an enactment in 1979 in the name of “ 5 protective clothing, notify accidents and causalities to specified Authorities and kin. The Act provides right to raise Industrial Disputes in the provincial jurisdiction where they work or in their home province. The act sets penalties including imprisonment for non-compliance. At the same time the act provides an escape route to principal employers if they can show that transgressions were committed without their knowledge. Needless to say, that the Act remained only on the paper. The record of prosecutions or dispute settlement is almost nil. The Migrant Laborers’ face additional problems and constraints as they are both labourers and migrants. Hence, there is no improvement in the working and living conditions of the migrant workers. There is lack of sincerity on the part of the Rulers and Policy Makers in ensuring compliance of the barest minimum of the so called legislation. The Government desires large pool of cheap migrant labour, be made available to the capital, both Domestic and Foreign. The Indian Judiciary occasionally comes to the rescue of the Migrant Labour and makes pronouncements and observations to fill the gap in the justice delivery system. Inspite, the Rulers and Policy makers conveniently ignore and bypass with impunity. Legislation failed, because, Regulatory mechanisms are over stretched, inadequately structured, manpower deficient and resource crunched. The NGO’s having skilled manpower and resources can provide the trade unions with research and background. Trade unions with their organizational structures, organizing skills can take on the employers, Policy makers and governments for a better deal to the Migrant Workers and contribute for social harmony and sustainable growth.