Working and Living Conditions of Women Domestic Workers: Evidences from Mumbai

Abstract

This paper, exploring primary data collected from 1510 women domestic workers in Mumbai, evidently brings out that domestic work as a feminine occupation in a global city like Mumbai is a epitome of critical deficits in human development, a vicious situation of lack of core entitlements which are required to enjoy freedom guaranteed by the democratic society. Based on the findings, it is argued why it is important to create a comprehensive social security system for domestic workers in India, against the backdrop of working and living conditions of labour belonging to this occupational category. The study covers themes such as basic demographic features, nature of services, work profile of the domestic workers, access to social security, consumption of edible items, consumption under PDS system, health, union awareness, time use, household assets and liability, habitat, attitude of domestic workers towards gender and domestic violence. [Discussion Paper No. 13].