Emerging from the Lockdown: Insights from Women Waste Workers' Lives in Delhi

Abstract

Using a mixed-method approach of telephonic surveys and in-depth interviews with key informants and women workers, this study aims to assess the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown has had on women waste workers and map the way their circumstances changed once the lockdown was lifted. It highlights that the lockdown has had a severe impact on work and income with more than 90% of the respondents stating that they experienced loss of employment during this period. The study also highlights that even after the lockdown was lifted, the workers have not been able to return to work immediately. This is because most go downs where they were employed before the pandemic remain closed even post-lockdown. The lack of waste to segregate has also contributed to the lack of employment. Workers stated that they find it difficult to collect waste, and even when they can, the lack of space for segregation has caused further challenges. They are also getting paid much lesser by go down owners than they were prior to the lockdown, and additionally, have had to sell their segregated material at significantly reduced rates. Even in terms of unpaid work, the report finds that the burden of household work and childcare has increased significantly. This poses a problem for women workers in terms of managing paid work. Women waste workers are struggling with accessing essential goods and services, including food, water, fuel, rent and children’s education. This study recommends that as an immediate measure, waste workers should be provided with free ration kits until their employment situation stabilizes. It also suggests that the government fast track their registration as workers and create a tripartite board so that they have access to some social and economic protections through social welfare schemes. Along with this, it recommends that the government fix a standardized rate for the material that women waste workers segregate, and most importantly, give the workers a right over the waste they collect so that they do not remain vulnerable to exploitation.