Recent discussions with several women workers in the Bawana resettlement colony in Delhi revealed that although they work very hard, their wages remain extremely low—far below the legal minimum wage.
Many women here are employed as construction workers. Ramdevi, Ludki, and Gulab Rani, for example, have been engaged in lower-end beldaari work, which involves carrying construction material in head-loads for most of the working day. For this, they receive about ₹350 per day. If they manage to get work for around 15 days in a month, their monthly earnings amount to only about ₹5,200.
A significant number of women are employed as domestic workers. Since they have not been able to secure work at the new resettlement site, they continue to travel back to their old locality from which they were evicted, a journey that takes nearly two hours. They typically leave between 6 and 8 in the morning. Elderly women, who can manage only one or two households, return by late afternoon, while younger women who work in three or four homes return only in the evening. Their monthly earnings generally range between ₹4,000 and ₹13,000, with most closer to the lower end.
The third category of women workers are those employed in industrial units, many of which are located in the Bawana industrial area. Here, women working eight-hour shifts with one weekly day off earn between ₹7,000 and ₹9,000 per month.
Regardless of the type of work, the reality is the same: the work is hard, and the wages are very low. For domestic workers, the long daily commute has made their situation even more difficult. Earlier, when domestic work was available closer to home, it was considered relatively lighter. Another challenge is finding a proper place to rest or eat lunch between jobs. Many women sit in public parks, which becomes extremely difficult in adverse weather—whether in severe cold, scorching heat, or heavy rain.
In addition to their paid work, women shoulder a heavy burden of household responsibilities, leaving them with little or no rest.
Their struggles are compounded by the poor state of civic facilities in working-class colonies. In Bawana, for instance, water and sanitation have been extremely inadequate ever since the colony was established nearly two decades ago. This not only makes household chores harder but also exposes women to serious health hazards.
Mothers who work long hours outside the home often leave their children unattended, as childcare facilities are generally unavailable. They worry constantly about their children, and with good reason: in Bawana and elsewhere, many adolescents are exposed at an early age to the risk of substance abuse.
Life becomes even more difficult for women workers if their husbands or grown-up sons fall into alcoholism or other addictions. In such situations, the likelihood of domestic violence also increases.
On the positive side, some women manage to cope with these challenges with the help of extended family, neighbors, or community support. However, this is far from sufficient. Much more needs to be done to provide relief to women workers. They should receive at least the legal minimum wage—and the minimum wage itself should be raised. Civic facilities must be improved, and free childcare with nutrition should be made available. Paid maternity leave and menstrual leave should be ensured. Above all, women’s safety must be guaranteed under all circumstances.
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The writer is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include Protecting Earth for Children, Man over Machine, A Day in 2071, and Planet in Peril
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