HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS FACED BY WOMEN WORKERS IN THE

UNORGANISED SECTOR
1. Mr.D.Karthikeyan, Ph.D scholar, Alagappa Institute of Management, Alagappa

University, Karaikudi 630004. (Mobile no: 9600989608, E-mail Id:

karthikeyan15@yahoo.in)
2. Dr.S.Chandramohan, Professor, Alagappa Institute of Management, Alagappa
University, Karaikudi 630004.
Abstract
The major part of Indian economy is belongs to Unorganised sector. These unorganised
sectors are not registered under any legal provision. According to United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) report, women are involved in doing 67% work of world;
still they are socially and economically deprived. They are receiving only 10% of the
universal income and have 1% part in global assets. This discrimination also persists in their
work place in unorganized sector. In this article we study about the human rights violations
faced by women workers in the unorganised sector, particularly in India. In unorganised
sector, women workers dont get same wages for same nature of work for same hours done
by men. Traditionally women have been given lower status than men in India. The violation
of womens fundamental rights through physical, mental, emotional and sexual violence
against women has become almost commonplace in the Indian context. The present study
reveals that, the human rights violations faced by women workers in the unorganized sectors
in India. And provide the suitable and viable solution to the problem. And how empower the
women in the unorganized sectors in India.
Keywords: Human rights, Women workers, unorganised sectors.
INTRODUCTION
National Commission on Labour (1966-69) has defined unorganized labour as those
who have not been able to organize themselves in search of common objectives on account of
restrictions like informal nature of employment, unawareness and illiteracy, small and spotted
size of organization and situation of power enjoyed by employers because of nature of
business.

The unorganized sector is characterized by the presence of factors like long hours of work,
wage bias of men and women, lack of job security, no minimum wages, lack of minimum
facilities at workplace, ill-treatment, and heavy physical work and sexual exploitation etc.
The labouring women generally work in unorganized sector. They are not offered fair wages
and polite terms of work. There are hardly any opportunities to improve their income because
in this sector, females work generally as labourers. The process of globalization, export
oriented industrialization and relocation of industries from the developed to developing
countries also lead to increase in women workers in unorganized sector.
The dominance of women workers in urban unorganized sector is significant in number. They
are engaged in activities like domestic work, construction work, small trades like brick
making, coir and basket weaving, household industries etc. In rural unorganized sector
women are engaged in agricultural activities, animal husbandry, dairy, fisheries etc
THE UNORGANIZED WORKERS SOCIAL SECURITY ACT, 2008
This act was passed in 2008 to provide for the social security and welfare of
unorganized workers. According to this Act the Central Govt shall formulate suitable welfare
schemes for unorganized workers on matter relating to life and disability cover, health and
maternity benefits, old age protection and the State Govt. may formulate schemes relating to
provident fund employment injury benefit, housing educational schemes for children, skill up
gradation of workers, funeral assistance and old age homes for unorganized workers. These
schemes may be wholly funded by the Central Govt. or State Govt. or party through
contribution collected from the beneficiaries of the scheme or the employers. The Central
Govt. shall constitute a National Social security board and every State Govt shall constitute a
state Social Security Board to recommend suitable schemes and to monitor and review the
expenditure under various schemes. (The Unorganized Workers Social Security Act,2008,
March 2009)
Under this Act every unorganized workers, above the age of fourteen years, will be registered
and issued an identity card and will be eligible for social security benefits under the scheme.
A number of schemes have been covered under this act to provide social security to the
unorganized workers like National Family Benefit Scheme, Janani Suraksha Yojna, Indira
Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme, Aam Admi BimaYojna etc.

HUMAN RIGHTS
Human rights advocates agree that, sixty years after its issue, the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights is still more a dream than reality. Violations exist in every part
of the world. Not only that, but women and children in particular are marginalized in
numerous ways, the press is not free in many countries, and dissenters are silenced, too often
permanently. While some gains have been made over the course of the last six decades,
human rights violations still plague the world today.

Right to live free

No slavery

No torture

Freedom to move

Freedom of thought

Freedom of expression

Right to democracy

PROBLEMS FACED BY WOMEN WORKERS IN UNORGANISED SECTOR

The study conducted by (Unni, 1989) concluded that female workers had to bear the
work burden the most and they remained still the most disadvantaged class of workers. They
put in at least 12-14 hours of work every day but their economic activities were not fully
recognized, counted and included in the national product, though womens work included
many activities which lead to the economic gain of the household
A study conducted at micro-level in the major parts of Jaipur city on the women workers
engaged as contract labourers. The main analysis was based on the causes of inequality of
women contract labourers and its impact. The characteristics, profile and recruitment were
also dealt with. It was projected that construction was the main industry employing labour on
contract basis. The women workers there experienced sexual and socio-economic
exploitation. They were illiterate, earning fewer wages, experienced male dominance, worked
for 10-12 hours daily had no medical or leave facilities and were under pitiable state of affairs
(Sultania, 1994).
Womens employment in unorganized sector is rising due to various reasons. The process of
globalization, export oriented industrialization and relocation of industries from the

developed to developing countries lead to increase in women workers in unorganized sector.

There is decline in traditional sectors of employment such as coir, handloom and other home
based small industries and branded products have substituted it. Overall economic pressures
compel households to take recourse to various survival strategies. The burden of adjustment
process falls disproportionately on the shoulders of women. Women have been drawn into
direct economic role as wage earners in factories, construction sites, homes and even in
farms. They are employed as cheap substitute manual labour where the situation is pitted
heavily against women workers and in favour of their employers (Kumar, 2002). They work
in a situation which is sometimes not bearable but they are forced to do their job for the better
life style. Unfortunately they are illiterate and unaware about social status and reluctant to
protest against the misconduct or prevailing situation at the workplace (Saxena, 2002)
There was a great difference in the working hours of the three types of unorganized labourers
and above table reflects the same. The majority of construction labourers (68%) were
working for 9-10 hours daily while majority of agricultural labourers (70%) were working for
6-8 hours. Women workers didnt get proper working time. They affect by the improper work
time and the wage provided for their work also so low in rate. (DAVE, 2012)
The unorganized sector is most vulnerable, ignored and diverse. Women in unorganized
sector constitute a sizable number so it is important to study their problems and prospects. In
the present study three types of women unorganized workers have been selected: Agriculture,
Construction and Domestic. Attempt has been made to understand the socioeconomic
condition, nature of work, working conditions and difficulties of women labourers working as
agriculture labour, construction labour and domestic labour.
CONCLUSION
Various reasons could be assigned for the existing dreadful state of affairs of women
in unorganized sector. It is mainly due to a fragment working against women in labour
market. Moreover lack of organisation in terms of forming trade unions among female
workers, unfavourable impact of technological growth on women labour, lack of purposeful
human resource development policy on improving womens employability through training,
insufficient legislation and ineffective enforcement of safeguards to guard female workers,
particularly in terms of their working conditions etc, are few of the major causes leading to
disgraceful condition of women workers. Under these existing conditions it would not be out
of context to say that the government should make efforts to improve their working
conditions in terms of occupational safety, working hours, payment of adequate wages to

them so that the women workers engaged in unorganized sector of employment may have
binding polite and distinguished work .
Women were demoralized to a greater degree as they were paid less compared to men
for similar nature of work and hours spent on work. The conditions of work in the
unorganized sector were unacceptable and the nuisances confronted by them were sensitive.
And that their illiteracy, poverty and gratitude forced them to work for lower wages and
under unmerited conditions.
REFERENCE

Kumar, N. a. (2002). Womens Participation in Unorganized Sector. New Delhi:

Sunrise Publications.

Saxena, M. a. (2002). Women in Unorganised Sector: Problems and Prospects. New

Delhi: Sunrise Publications.

Sultania, M. (1994). Women Contract Labourers: A Deprivation Syndrome. Jaipur:

Classic Publishing House,.

The Unorganized Workers Social Security Act,2008. (March 2009). Social Change
Vol. 39 , 110-120.

Unni, J. (1989). Changes in Women Employment in Rural Areas 1961-81. Economic

and Political Weekly , p. 23.

DAVE, V. (2012). Women Workers in Unorganized Sector. WOMENS LINK ,

18, 9-17.