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Calls for legislation to protect domestic workers in India
ABC Radio Australia - November 7, 2013
There are an estimated 90 million domestic workers in India, and it is often women and children who suffer the most.
They face more than just abuse and prejudice at the hands of their employers. Besides the emotional humiliation, many face extreme physical pain and the cases are just growing.
Earlier this week, an MP's wife was arrested in connection with the murder of their 35-year-old domestic help in Delhi.
Last month, a 13-year-old girl who was rescued after being physically abused for a year by her employer, an air-hostess with a national carrier.
Bulbuli, an 18-year-old domestic help from the eastern state of West Bengal, has been working in several households for the last five years in the capital.
She has heard of shocking tales of abuse and violence at the hands of educated and rich employers, and is grateful that she has not met a similar fate. These young maids must be treated well as if they are part of the family – that does not happen," she said.
"I have heard of horrible stories of maids forced to starve, work long hours and then being beaten. This is sad. Nobody should work in such conditions."
In yet another case, a domestic help who was rescued by child activists in an upscale area claimed that her nails were pulled out and that she was often beaten with a hot pan.
Saraswati Sarkar, a maid who has been working for 20 years, says the government must step in. "Maids get beaten up regularly and are paid poorly," she said.
"The government must take action. If they give us protection, we can lead happy lives and our families back home do not have to feel worried." 'Modern-day slavery of domestic labour'
In 2006 India banned children under 14 from working as domestic servants. But the rule is blatantly flouted and both boys and girls are trafficked from various states such as Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal.
Placement agencies that lure these people into the jobs are often not registered with the government, and work hand in glove to exploit the young girls and children who come to them.
Nina Nayak is a member of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights. She says nobody is acknowledging the "modern-day slavery of domestic labour" in homes.
"This is a huge problem. This is where it stems from. Add to this, the huge inter state and intra-district migration that is happening," Ms Nayak said.
"It is rare that a family is considerate. Not even a weekly day off, no regulated hours of work. It is not as if a handful of people are being exploited. There are millions of women who are eking a livelihood out of this profession."
Rishi Kant, who heads Shakti Vahini, an NGO assisting domestic workers, says placement agencies need to be regulated.
"In India, we don't have presently a Placement Agency Act and that is why these crimes are increasing," he said. "Once the act comes into place, I think a lot of people who are indulging in illegal activities will be arrested and put behind bars."
Mr Kant says despite repeated calls for national legislation, the government has chosen to turn a deaf ear.
"Unsafe migration is increasing from the source area," he said. "We have already demanded to bring a national law for domestic maids... but the government has still not looked deeply into this issue... especially violence concerning the girl child."
A draft national policy for domestic workers has been on the backburner for several years and a consensus still seems elusive. The latest Global Slavery Index says India has the largest number of people in modern slavery, estimated to be between 13.3 and 14.7 million.
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