India's failure to ratify ILO's Convention 189 highlights the neglect of domestic workers' rights. Critically examine the socio-economic challenges faced by domestic workers in India.

Category: Polity (GS -II),

Test Date: 13 Dec 2024

Approach:

Introduction: Briefly introduce the significance of ILO's Convention 189 and India's failure to ratify it.
Socio-Economic Challenges:
- Poor Working Conditions: Long working hours, lack of minimum wages, and absence of benefits (leave, social security, maternity leave).
- Exploitation and Abuse: Domestic workers face verbal, physical, and sexual abuse, particularly those who live with their employers.
- Stigma and Discrimination: Caste, gender, and religious discrimination, compounded by the stigma around their work (e.g., being shunned as "carriers" of viruses during the pandemic).
- Lack of Social Protection: Absence of retirement benefits, health insurance, and proper living conditions for workers.
Wrap up your answer by suggesting way forward: Legislative reforms, better enforcement of existing laws, and ratification of Convention 189 to ensure dignity and rights for domestic workers in India.

Mains Answer Writing