Abstract
The paper examines the socio-cultural and economic factors which are adversely affecting home based women workers; the interdependence of these factors and the needed intervention. It provides situational analysis and looks at those critical elements which construct the invisibility, vulnerability, social exclusion, gender disparity and vicious cycle of poverty among the home based women workers. This qualitative study used in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. The study findings indicated that women home based workers were invisible and unrecognized; bound by socio-cultural barriers; and lacking awareness and access to social protection facilities. Suggestions on relevant policies should be crafted to properly recognize the home based women workers, including the need for minimum wage legislation, social security benefits, proper skill training, a more permanent work, timely wages, housing facilities and access to loans and credits for this population.
Highlights
Home based work is becoming an important part of the economic transformation process
Home based work constitutes a significant part of an informal economy
During the in-depth study of women home based workers, The study found that the women home based workers were getting very low wages for working 12 to 14 hours per day, while working in a difficult and unhealthy environment
Summary
Home based work is becoming an important part of the economic transformation process. Its growth is significantly linked to the globalization of industry and the continuous search for cheaper labour and more efficient means of production. In today's global market, it is not unusual for a single garment or electronic device to be a collective effort of workers in two or three countries, most of whom are not even aware of each other's existence and the nature or type of final product they produce. Home based work constitutes a significant part of an informal economy. There are three billion home based workers working around the world. In South Asia, the number of home based workers is estimated at over half a billion, the majority of them (80%)
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