Call for stronger efforts in addressing issues faced by women workers

Various Left organisations, including CITU, KPRS, AIAWU, JMS, SFI and DYFI, staged a demonstration in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Kalaburagi on Tuesday as part of International Women’s Day celebrations demanding stronger efforts in addressing issues faced by women workers.

Leaders and activists later submitted a memorandum addressed to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah through the Deputy Commissioner highlighting concerns over gender inequality, labour rights and safety of women across sectors.

In the memorandum, the organisations said that International Women’s Day symbolises a long history of struggles against inequality and exploitation, while highlighting women continuously facing discrimination in workplaces and society.

Speaking on the occasion, DYFI State president Lavitra Vastrad said that despite women’s increasing participation in all sectors, they continue to face wage disparity, insecurity and lack of social protection.

“Women are present in every field, from agriculture and industry to education, healthcare and services, but their labour remains undervalued and underpaid,” she said.

The memorandum pointed out that women, on an average, receive significantly lower wages compared to men and face widespread discrimination in recruitment and working conditions.

It also flagged rising incidents of sexual harassment at workplaces and inadequate implementation of existing legal safeguards.

CITU district president M.B. Sajjan said that policies favouring corporate interests and labour law changes have weakened protections for workers, particularly women.

“The recent labour codes have diluted safeguards and left a large number of women workers, especially in the unorganised sector, without adequate legal protection,” he said.

The organisations also expressed concern over issues such as lack of maternity benefits, absence of crèche facilities in workplaces, increasing informalisation of labour and growing financial distress among women due to debt and migration pressures.

They demanded implementation of equal wages for equal work, expansion of employment opportunities, strengthening of welfare schemes and strict enforcement of laws to prevent sexual harassment at workplaces.

The memorandum has also called for steps such as ensuring minimum wages, providing social security benefits to women workers, expanding the job scheme with increased workdays and wages and ensuring free access to education and healthcare.

The protesters urged the State government to take immediate steps to address these concerns and uphold the rights and dignity of women workers.