Problems of Women Domestic Workers and Sex Workers

Abstract

Domestic workers have distinct relation with their employers. Hence what goes in the relation is not apparent, then an immediate question arises, will it be possible to penetrate into the relation between the domestic workers and their employers to determine whether the dignity of the domestic workers is ensured in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and the Law enacted for them? The answer to this question is not so easy for the simple reason that there is little awareness about the Laws enacted in favour of the protection of the domestic workers. More than above the domestic workers, who have a delicate relation with their employers, rarely allege about the exploitation on them by their employers. When this is the state of affairs there is a need for active intervention of the State, the members of the Civil Society and the Non Governmental Organization (NGO) to play an active role in spreading awareness about the basic rights enshrined to the domestic workers under various Laws. From recent past, sex workers have emerged as a distinct group of self employed workers, sex workers are estimated around 12.63 lakhs in India as per figures released by National AIDS Control Organization in the year 2010. There are around 6.8 lakhs registered sex workers in India. Though sex workers are considered to be self employed workers yet there are some sex workers who are attached to a single male or female boss who normally supplies sex workers to the needy men in society.