{"id":154360,"date":"2025-02-06T19:52:31","date_gmt":"2025-02-06T14:22:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=current-affairs&#038;p=154360"},"modified":"2025-03-03T12:00:08","modified_gmt":"2025-03-03T06:30:08","slug":"laws-to-protect-domestic-workers-rights","status":"publish","type":"current-affairs","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/laws-to-protect-domestic-workers-rights","title":{"rendered":"Laws to Protect Domestic Workers\u2019 Rights"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recently, the Supreme Court directed the Union government to examine the possibility of a separate law for domestic workers.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Supreme Court Directives and observation on Domestic Workers<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Formation of an Inter-Ministerial Committee: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The SC directed the <\/span><b>Union government<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to form an <\/span><b>inter-ministerial committee<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to examine the need for a legal framework to protect domestic workers.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The committee will include experts from the following ministries:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><b>Ministry of Labour and Employment<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><b>Ministry of Women and Child Development<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><b>Ministry of Law and Justice<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><b>Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Purpose of the Committee: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The committee is tasked with <\/span><b>considering the desirability of recommending a legal framework<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for the <\/span><b>benefit, protection, and regulation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of domestic workers.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It will focus on addressing issues such as:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><b>Exploitation and abuse<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><b>Low wages<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><b>Unsafe working conditions<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><b>Lack of social security<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Timeline for Submission: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Required to submit its report to the <\/span><b>Union government within six months<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Based on the report, the Centre will decide on the necessity of enacting a <\/span><b>national law<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for domestic workers.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Recognition of Legal Vacuum: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Court acknowledged the <\/span><b>absence of a Central law<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> protecting domestic workers, which has led to widespread exploitation and abuse.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It highlighted the need for a <\/span><b>uniform legal framework<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to address the vulnerabilities faced by domestic workers, particularly women from marginalised communities.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Reference to State-Level Initiatives: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Court noted that some states, such as <\/span><b>Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Kerala<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, have already enacted laws to protect domestic workers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Focus on Marginalised Communities: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Court emphasised that domestic workers often belong to <\/span><b>marginalised communities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, OBCs, and Economically Weaker Sections).<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They are frequently forced into domestic work due to <\/span><b>financial hardship<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or <\/span><b>displacement<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, making them particularly vulnerable to exploitation.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Course<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.8996%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 100%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: rgba(184, 165, 217, 0.53); text-align: left; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; color: #000000;\"><b>Laws Governing Domestic Workers in India: There is No dedicated central law for domestic workers<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Key Labour Laws and Policies<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Unorganised Sector Social Security Act, 2008<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Provides social security but lacks enforcement.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Minimum Wages Act, 1948<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Recognizes domestic work as scheduled employment in only <\/span><b>10 states<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Includes domestic workers, but enforcement is weak.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Protects minors but is limited by loopholes in the <\/span><b>Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Code on Social Security, 2020<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Recognizes domestic workers but is not yet fully implemented.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Criminalizes forced or bonded labour, which many domestic workers, especially migrants, face.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Bans domestic work for children below 14 years but permits it for those aged 14-18, under certain conditions.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Constitutional Protection:<\/b><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Article 23<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> prohibits human trafficking, forced labor, and beggar.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Article 39(e) <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">encourages the state to prevent the abuse of individuals&#8217; health and strength of workers, regardless of age or gender..<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; color: #000000;\"><b>Past Attempts for Central Legislation<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">The Court noted that multiple attempts have been made in the past to introduce a Central law for domestic workers, including:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>The Domestic Workers (Conditions of Employment) Bill, 1959<\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>The Domestic Workers (Regulation of Work and Social Security) Bill, 2017<\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">None of these bills were enacted, leaving domestic workers without legal protection at the national level.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Draft National Policy on Domestic Workers (2019)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (not implemented):<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Right to <\/span><b>minimum wages, social security, protection from abuse<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regulation of <\/span><b>placement agencies<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Establishment of <\/span><b>grievance redressal mechanisms<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: 16pt;\"><b>States Laws<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Tamil Nadu: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Domestic Workers were included in the schedule of the <\/span><b>Tamil Nadu Manual Labour Act 1982 in 1999.\u00a0<\/b><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>First instance of legal recognition<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of domestic workers as workers in India.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Maharashtra: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Enacted <\/span><b>Maharashtra Domestic. Workers Welfare Board Act, 2008<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Constituted the<\/span><b> Domestic Workers Welfare Board<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for the State of Maharashtra in 2011.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Kerala: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Enacted the &#8220;<\/span><b>Kerala Domestic Workers (Regulation and Welfare) Act<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8221; which aims to protect the rights of domestic workers in <\/span><b>2021<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Who are domestic workers?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Domestic workers are those workers who <\/span><b>perform work<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in or for a<\/span><b> private household or households.\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They provide <\/span><b>direct and indirect care services<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and as such are key members of the care economy.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Their work may <\/span><b>include tasks <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">such as:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cleaning the house, cooking, washing and ironing clothes, taking care of children, or elderly or sick members of a family, gardening, guarding the house, driving for the family, and taking care of household pets.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Types of Employment<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Full-time or Part-Time<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Domestic workers may be employed either full-time or part-time.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Live-in or live-out<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Workers can either reside in the employer&#8217;s home (<\/span><b>live-in<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) or live in their own residence (<\/span><b>live-out<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Service providers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Workers may be employed directly by a family or through a service provider (e.g., placement agencies).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Migrant Domestic Workers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Many domestic workers work in countries where they are not nationals and are referred to as <\/span><b>migrant domestic workers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Statistics and Gender Disparity<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Total Domestic Workers Worldwide<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Approximately <\/span><b>75.6 million<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> domestic workers.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Gender Disparity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <\/span><b>76.2%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of domestic workers are women, with men constituting about a <\/span><b>quarter<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the workforce.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Domestic workers in India: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to official statistics, there are <\/span><b>4.75 million domestic workers in India<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>three million <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">of whom are women.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The International Labour Organisation, along with others are firm that the r<\/span><b>eal number is much more<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, ranging from a wide<\/span><b> 20 to 80 million<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Only 10 states<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in India have included domestic workers under the <\/span><b>Minimum Wages Act, 1948<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Trafficking and Child Labour: India has 12.6 million child domestic workers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>86% of whom are girls<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (ILO report ).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+CSE+Books\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out UPSC CSE Books From PW Store<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Vulnerability of Domestic Workers in India<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Economic Vulnerabilities<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Low Wages and Income Disparities: Domestic workers earn significantly less<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> than other informal workers. Many workers are paid arbitrarily based on tasks rather than hours worked.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>ILO estimates<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that domestic workers worldwide earn <\/span><b>56% of the average wages of other employees<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>No Minimum Wage Enforcement: Only 10 states<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in India have included domestic workers under the <\/span><b>Minimum Wages Act, 1948<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Domestic workers in Karnataka are entitled to minimum wages (Rs 13,413 to 15,086 per month depending on tasks), but most workers <\/span><b>never received this wage<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>No Social Security or Job Security: 81% of domestic workers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are in <\/span><b>informal employment<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (ILO report), meaning <\/span><b>no provident fund (PF), health insurance, or maternity benefits<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Pandemic Impact<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: A study across <\/span><b>Kochi, Delhi, and Mumbai (2020)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> found that <\/span><b>57% of domestic workers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> were fired without compensation during the <\/span><b>COVID-19 lockdown<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Legal Vulnerabilities<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Exclusion from Labour Laws: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Domestic workers <\/span><b>lack legal recognition<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> under key labour laws:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Industrial Disputes Act, 1947<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (no protection from unfair dismissal).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Code on Wages, 2019<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (covers domestic work but lacks implementation).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Code on Social Security, 2020<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (recognizes domestic workers, but is not in force).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>No Written Contracts or Employment Benefits: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A <\/span><b>2016 survey in Bengaluru<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> found that <\/span><b>only 2% of domestic workers had written contracts<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, leaving them vulnerable to arbitrary wage cuts, unpaid overtime, and sudden dismissal.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Weak Enforcement of Sexual Harassment Laws: Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act, 2013<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> includes domestic workers, but enforcement is nearly <\/span><b>non-existent<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>ILO reports<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> highlight that <\/span><b>forced labour, trafficking, and violence<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are major threats, particularly for <\/span><b>live-in workers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Social and Workplace Vulnerabilities<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Caste and Gender Discrimination: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Domestic work is viewed as <\/span><b>\u201clow status\u201d and caste-based<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, leading to <\/span><b>discrimination<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many workers are <\/span><b>denied access to household utensils, toilets, and drinking water<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> due to caste biases.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Harassment and Abuse by Employers: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Domestic workers are particularly vulnerable to <\/span><b>violence, harassment<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><b>restrictions on freedom of movement<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This is especially prevalent among informal workers.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2024, <\/span><b>domestic workers in Karnataka protested<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> against <\/span><b>arbitrary dismissals, sexual abuse, and caste-based discrimination<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Health Risks and Exploitation: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Domestic workers are more likely to have <\/span><b>long or irregular working hours<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> compared to other workers.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Mumbai, <\/span><b>40% of domestic workers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> surveyed in 2020 reported <\/span><b>no access to safety measures<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> during the <\/span><b>COVID-19 pandemic<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Vulnerability to Trafficking and Forced Labour<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Trafficking and Child Labour: India has 12.6 million child domestic workers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>86% of whom are girls<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (ILO report ).<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In <\/span><b>Jharkhand<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a <\/span><b>trafficking network<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> lures young girls with <\/span><b>fake job offers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, forcing them into <\/span><b>domestic servitude<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Forced Labour and Debt Bondage: ILO Convention No. 29<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> defines <\/span><b>forced labour<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as work <\/span><b>exacted under menace or coercion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Kerala and Jharkhand, <\/span><b>live-in domestic workers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are often <\/span><b>trapped in forced labour<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, as employers <\/span><b>confiscate their wages and travel documents<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the <\/span><b>Middle East migration route<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, many Indian domestic workers <\/span><b>fall into forced labour due to recruitment agents&#8217; deception<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Non-Ratification of ILO Conventions: India has NOT ratified ILO Convention 189<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Decent Work for Domestic Workers) or <\/span><b>Convention 182<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Worst Forms of Child Labour).<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>ILO recognizes domestic work as \u201cmodern slavery\u201d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, yet <\/span><b>India lacks a national law<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to protect domestic workers.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-textbooks?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Textbooks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out UPSC NCERT Textbooks From PW Store<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Challenges in Legal and Policy Implementation<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Lack of Comprehensive Legislation: Domestic Workers (Registration, Social Security, and Welfare) Bill, 2008 &#038; 2017<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 Introduced but <\/span><b>never passed<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><b>National Policy on Domestic Workers (2019)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 <\/span><b>Still in draft stage<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, awaiting approval.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Weak Enforcement Mechanisms: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even in states where domestic workers are covered under the <\/span><b>Minimum Wages Act, 1948,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> implementation is weak due to lack of enforcement mechanisms.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many workers do<\/span><b> not receive legally mandated wages<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> due to their informal status and employer influence.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Only 10 states<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> enforce <\/span><b>minimum wages for domestic workers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and even where implemented, violations are <\/span><b>rampant<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Legal Ambiguity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Domestic workers are excluded from many major labour laws as <\/span><b>&#8220;formal employees.&#8221;<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Key labour laws (such as the<\/span><b> Industrial Disputes Act, 1947)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> do not cover them under the definition of <\/span><b>&#8220;workman&#8221;,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> making it difficult for them to<\/span><b> claim legal rights<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Lack of Monitoring: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unlike factories or offices, private homes are<\/span><b> difficult to regulate<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, making it challenging for government <\/span><b>agencies to monitor domestic workers&#8217;<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> working conditions, wages, and abuse cases.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the<\/span><b> ILO&#8217;s 2023 Forced Labour Report,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Migrant domestic workers are highly vulnerable to forced labor due to the <\/span><b>hidden nature of their work in private homes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, making detection and intervention difficult.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Exploitation by Placement Agencies:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Many <\/span><b>unregulated placement agencies <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">exploit domestic workers by <\/span><b>charging high recruitment fees, withholding wages,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and misrepresenting job conditions.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the <\/span><b>&#8220;Kerala Migration Survey 2023,&#8221;<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> a significant number of domestic workers from Kerala migrating to Gulf nations through placement agencies faced the issue of<\/span><b> passport confiscation,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> essentially trapping them in situations of forced labor<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Insufficient Data: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is lack of reliable data regarding number of domestic workers. There is large variation among estimates, with number of workers varying from 4 million to 50 million.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.8996%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 100%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: rgba(184, 165, 217, 0.53); text-align: left; vertical-align: middle;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Global example of best practices:\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>South Africa&#8217;s Domestic Workers Act<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> protects domestic workers by establishing minimum standards for their treatment.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The act is based on the <\/span><b>International Labour Organization&#8217;s Domestic Workers&#8217; Convention,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> which South Africa ratified in <\/span><b>2013<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>International Labour Organization&#8217;s (ILO) Convention 189:<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also known as the <\/span><b>Domestic Workers Convention, 2011<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sets labor <\/span><b>standards for domestic workers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Adopted in <\/span><b>2011<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and entered into force in <\/span><b>2013.<\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Convention was adopted with the wide <\/span><b>support of 185 countries<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>India<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has <\/span><b>not ratified<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the Convention yet.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Way Forward for Protecting Domestic Workers in India<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Enact a Comprehensive Central Law: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recognize <\/span><b>domestic work as formal employment<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> under national labour laws.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ensure <\/span><b>minimum wages, social security, and written contracts<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for all domestic workers.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Regulate and Monitor Placement Agencies: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mandate <\/span><b>registration of all placement agencies<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with <\/span><b>state labour departments<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ensure agencies provide <\/span><b>employment contracts with clear terms<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Enforce Minimum Wage and Social Security Provisions: Expand the Minimum Wages Act, 1948<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, to cover domestic workers in <\/span><b>all states<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ensure access to <\/span><b>Provident Fund (PF), health insurance, and maternity benefits<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> under the <\/span><b>Social Security Code, 2020<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Strengthen Labour Inspections and Grievance Redressal: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Empower <\/span><b>labour inspectors to monitor private homes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as workplaces.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Establish <\/span><b>helplines and complaint portals<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for domestic workers to report abuse.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Ratify ILO Convention 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Align Indian laws with <\/span><b>global standards for domestic work<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Provide <\/span><b>weekly rest days, fair wages, and protection from abuse<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Raise Awareness and Organize Domestic Workers: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conduct <\/span><b>awareness campaigns<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> about domestic workers\u2019 legal rights.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Support <\/span><b>domestic worker unions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for collective bargaining and advocacy.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Strengthen Protection Against Trafficking and Forced Labour: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Implement <\/span><b>strict penalties for child labour and trafficking<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Enhance <\/span><b>inter-state coordination<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to track <\/span><b>trafficking networks<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Provide <\/span><b>rehabilitation programs for rescued domestic workers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc\/pw-only-ias?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Classes<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Conclusion<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A comprehensive national law for domestic workers is crucial to ensure fair wages, social security, and protection from exploitation. While enforcement challenges remain, the Supreme Court\u2019s directive presents a vital opportunity to formalize rights, redefine power dynamics, and uphold the dignity of millions in this essential yet undervalued workforce.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><i>Ready to boost your UPSC 2025 preparation?<\/i><\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><i>Join PW&#8217;s UPSC online courses<\/i><\/b><\/a><b><i> today!<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.6375%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 111.19%; text-align: center;\" colspan=\"2\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Also Read<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/editorial-analysis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>UPSC Daily Editorials<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/daily-current-affairs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>UPSC Daily Current Affairs<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/quiz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Daily Current Affairs Quiz<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/mains-answer-writing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Daily Main Answer Writing<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-previous-year-papers?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Previous+Year+Papers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Check Out Previous Years Papers From PW Store<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-test-series-courses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>UPSC Test Series<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-textbooks?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Textbooks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Check Out UPSC NCERT Textbooks From PW Store<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-modules?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Modules\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Check Out UPSC Modules From PW Store<\/b><\/a><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Supreme Court directed the Union government to examine the possibility of a separate law for domestic workers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":154531,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"paper-wise":[2084],"subject":[2124],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/154360"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/current-affairs"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=154360"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/154360\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":154565,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/154360\/revisions\/154565"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/154531"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=154360"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=154360"},{"taxonomy":"paper-wise","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/paper-wise?post=154360"},{"taxonomy":"subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/subject?post=154360"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}