Who Is Responsible For Safety Of Domestic Workers At Workplaces?

India has approximately 5.2 million domestic workers according to government data. However, the National Domestic Workers’ Movement (NDWM) estimates the total number in India from anywhere between 5.2 to more than 50 million. Despite their huge number, due to the informal nature of their work, they remain precarious.

Domestic work in private homes and based on personal relationships between workers and employers, often goes unrecognised as formal employment. This lack of recognition leaves domestic workers, especially women, without the protections offered by government regulations and laws. Despite the 2020 Labour Codes consolidating 29 labour laws into four, the idea of “home” as a workplace is still not recognized, leaving domestic workers without protection and social security benefits.

To learn more, check out our breakdown of the report “Caring Hands, Fragile Health: Unravelling Women’s Occupational Health & Well-being in Domestic Work” by Jagori. To read the report, click here.