Conference focuses on rights of domestic workers

FROM A REPORTER
SHILLONG, June 14: Legislator from Nongthymmai constituency Jemino Mawthoh, on Tuesday lauded the tiol Domestic Workers Movement (NDWM), Meghalaya for being able to sustain the movement right from the year 2000.
“Our social set-up has started to change and social discrimition is now more visible,” Mawthoh said while replying to queries from one of the panelist during the round table conference on the theme “Regulate Domestic Works and Recognize Domestic Workers as Workers’ organize by tiol Domestic Workers Movement (NDWM), Meghalaya.
Stating that it is because of these problems which are starting to become visible which has given rise to organization like the NDWM, Mawthoh also recalled the statement made by the NDWM that there are over 500 cases of physical and sexual abuse against domestic workers and more than 1000 cases of fincial abuse here in the state of Meghalaya which in itself speaks volumes of the trauma and mental agony these workers have to face.
“Even the Intertiol Labour Organization’s convention has also recognized the contributions of domestic workers in the global economy and even in the country,” he said. He also said that if there is no domestic workers in an urban city like Shillong the lives of so many families will be affected.
“Here most of the spouses are always engaged in their jobs and careers and without the domestic workers there will be no one to take care of their chores including children which could result in relations disarray.
He further said that these issues have to be discussed in depth because if we talks about labour rights and say that everything is in place one has to think if the domestic workers are also within the purview of these laws and rights and are getting the benefits like all the other labourers.
Wanpynhun Kharsyntiew is of the opinion that absence of tiol legislation has poses a serious threat and hardships towards the lives of the domestic workers and child labourers.