Over 60% domestic help in Gurugram not registered

Tribune News Service

Sumedha Sharma

Gurugram, December 10

Over 60 per cent of household workers in Gurugram have not been registered with the authorities concerned and do not have a dedicated grievance redressal system.

The administration had earlier mandated the creation of database of all the domestic helps. But even after 11 months, a majority of the residents’ welfare associations (RWAs) have failed to do so.

RWA’s told to submit info on minor workers

We have taken a stern notice of the incident and issued a warning to all RWAs concerned to register the maids in their jurisdiction and inform the authorities about minors working as domestic help. We will be working with a set of experts and spell out the rights of maids and responsibilities of employers to curb harassment. Nishant Yadav, Deputy Commissioner

The latest case of a 13-year-old maid being tortured in the city has further highlighted the need for their registration in order to safeguard their rights. It has been alleged that the child, who was getting a meagre salary of Rs 9,000, was brutally beaten by a landlady, bitten by her pet dog and sexually harassed by her two sons before the girl managed to escape.

The Deputy Commissioner has issued a warning to all the RWAs and demanded details of all maids working in their areas.

Meanwhile, the local maids’ association has demanded that the 24-hour paid work contract should be declared as illegal. The minor was held hostage in the Sector 57 area and allegedly tortured and sexually harassed by a family.

The domestic workers’ union, Gharelu Kamgar Union (GKU), has demanded immediate action and declaration of the 24-hour paid work contract as illegal in the city.

“As a union of a highly vulnerable workforce of domestic workers, the association strongly believes that the scope of such brutality and sexual exploitation is high, given the prevalence of full-time or 24x7 paid domestic work contracts,” stated a memorandum submitted by the union to the DC.

The union members stressed that this form of work agreement must be prohibited as it compels a large number of impoverished women and children into a situation akin to slavery, wherein they are continuously under the physical control of their employers.

“Forced to work on the beck and call of their employers and tied to their private residences, such full-time domestic work breeds high levels of exploitation. Also, it becomes difficult for authorities to regulate such 24x7 domestic work agreements,” stated the union’s statement.

The union members have demanded a door-to-door survey in the city and identification and rescue of such maids. “According to the complaint filed by a Bihar native, with the help of a car cleaner, she got her 13-year-old daughter employed as a maid at the house of Shashi Sharma, a resident of Sector 57, on June 27. The salary was fixed at Rs 9,000 and the minor had to stay at Sharma’s house.

The mother of the victim said everything was fine for about a month, but then the employers prevented her from meeting her daughter.

She said the salary was paid on time for two months. Subsequently, they not only stopped providing minor’s salary to the parents but also the minor was being sexually exploited. The mother of the victim managed to rescue her with the help of her own employer.

An FIR has been registered under various Sections of the IPC and the POCSO Act.

About The Author

Tribune News Service

The Tribune News Service brings you the latest news, analysis and insights from the region, India and around the world. Follow the Tribune News Service for a wide-ranging coverage of events as they unfold, with perspective and clarity.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.

#Gurugram