Female Migrant Labourers require immediate help

All India Institute of Local Self-Government (AIILSG), in collaboration with the National Commission for Women (NCW) and Urban Update, organised a special webinar on the topic ‘Migrant Women Workers: Issues and Challenges’ to talk about the probkems faced by female migrant labourers, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic

he panel for the Webinar consisted of Pravin Bhardwaj, Consultant, AIILSG; Dr Suchita Krishnaprasad, Former Head, Department of Economics, Elphinstone College, Mumbai; Vijaya Srinivasan, Deputy Director, Ambedkar Institute for Labour Studies, Parel, Mumbai; Dr Sneha Palnitkar, CEO, Waste Management Resource Centre – AIILSG, Mumbai; and Aarya Venugopal, Director (research), Jan Sahas. The webinar was moderated by Abhishek Pandey, Editor, Urban Update.
Each speaker took charge of one of the five sessions of the webinar.

Session 1

Understanding the status and current scenario of migrant women labourers in India
Pravin Bhardwaj, Consultant, AIILSG
The first session commenced with an insight into the current situation of migration of women in India. A larger section of women is moving either after they are married or for education. Bhardwaj proceeded with data from various states to explain how internal migration happens across states like Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab and Karnataka, and further how inclusion of women migrants in cities is a necessary step towards sustainable urban development, based on cultural diversity, social cohesion and human rights. He further highlighted the problems and issues faced by women, and the discrimination at every level, from working conditions to wages. He summed up the discussion while highlighting the situation of migrant women laborers in lockdown, during 2020 due to pandemic.

Session 2

Various guidelines, laws and missions on migrant woman labourers and identifying the gap in implementation/ monitoring
Dr Suchita Krishnaprasad, Department of Economics Elphinstone College, Mumbai
The session commenced with showing differences of our Preamble, article and laws, and how these define the labour related principles/ laws since independence. Dr Suchita explained various Articles of the preamble and what they portray. Since most the labour laws are part of the Directive Principles of State Policy, these being directive in nature, are only recommendatory in nature. She further talked about the economics of migration and migrants, explaining it with the help of different models like Harris & Todaro model (1970), Arthur Lewis model (1954). She went on to say that we find that the informal sector, which offers an easy entry to new migrants (especially women), largely represents a survival strategy of a pool of workers often pushed out of the lap of rural sector. This was witnessed evidently during the nationwide lockdown imposed due to the spread of the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Talking about legal alternatives of the current system, she gave technology- based solutions, which can ensure timely payment and absence of discrimination for migrant workers. The Government of India has also allotted funds for the labourers and their welfare and their utilisation, although in question, has been depicted in the statistics and statements provided during the Lok Sabha sessions.

It is evident from government data that women often lack access to quality skill training. This eventually results in women being less preferred in employment opportunities

Session 3

Ways to provide basic necessities and support to migrant woman labourers
Vijaya Srinivasan, Deputy Director, Ambekar Institute for Labour Studies, Mumbai
The third session commenced with an insight into the pressing issues and challenges of migrant woman labourers. Migrants are usually unable to obtain skilling opportunities, so have to start at the lowest job available, and access to banking & financial services is compromised due their lack of proof of identity. Moreover, they are termed outsiders due to language barriers, and fail to avail basic services like healthcare and public facilities.
Vijaya highlighted how different types of women migrants are classified, and unique problems faced by migrant women labourers. She mentioned about the Migrant Support Centers-Core Support Services, which exist in India since a decade. However, they have not been successful in providing the support they were supposed to.

Session 4

New avenues, opportunities and innovative ways of skilling of the woman
Dr Sneha Palnitkar, CEO, WMRC – AIILSG, Mumbai
The fourth session began with Dr Palnitkar enlisting the major reasons related to migration of women in our country. She explained how lack of income opportunities and poor living conditions in rural areas contribute to migration. It is also evident from government data that women often lack access to quality skill training. This eventually results in women being less preferred in employment opportunities. While highlighting informal sector workers like the waste pickers and care givers, she said that they need some handholding for improving their skills.
Further talking about new avenues in waste recycling sector, she talked about rules laid down in the Solid Waste Management Rules 2016. She went on to talk about the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and said that they have also prepared Model Curriculum for Waste Pickers. She continued to then talk about how some jobs are pre-dominantly occupied by women. These included jobs like that of care-givers, nannies, domestic help, street vendors and construction workers. “These professions need serious skilling efforts by the central and state governments in order for us to realise the true potential that women as workers possess,” said Dr Palnitkar.

Session 5

Monitoring, promoting and protecting migrant woman labourer and labour laws
Aarya Venugopal, Director (Research), Jan Sahas
In the last session, Venugopal showed trends of female migration, from rural to urban areas, and said that there is a steady increase of 50-71 per cent. Rural category of scheduled caste females has seen the biggest shift in migration pattern. Labourers, especially those engaged in construction work, retire by their mid-40s. Construction sector being one of the largest employers of migrant, informal labour, shows that a large number of migrant labourers are unemployed after they are over 40 years of age. This happens mostly because construction companies/contractors believe that older labourers, particularly women, are unable to pick up heavy loads of construction materials like bricks, cement bags etc. The female migrant typologies and intersectionality based on caste, regional differences, age and marital status further divide into three categories: female migrant workers migrating on their own; non- working women migrating to urban areas, usually urban slums; and lastly, women who are left behind by spouses. Based on the categories in which they fall, Jan Sahas organisation provides help and support to these women.

Closing Ceremony

The closing ceremony for the webinar was conducted by Abhishek Pandey. During this, Pandey highlighted the way forward, keeping in mind the points that were raised throughout the Webinar. He said that social and economic exploitation of women in the informal sector must be stopped. Moreover, the government must set up multi-lingual help centres to assist migrants to settle down in the places they migrate to easily. Lastly, Pandey suggested that although the government has worked pro-actively to promote women education, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done. The government must not stop in its march towards women empowerment.