Kohima, Nagaland
Legal expert moots separate policy for domestic workers
DIMAPUR — Acknowledging the indispensable services provided by the domestic workers whereas they do not get the fair treatment they deserve, legal consultant to Kohima district administration, Ketoulhoutuo-u Rame, has sought separate policies and regulations for the domestic workers.
Rame stated this during a round table conference with various stakeholders on September 23 at CAN Building in D Block in Kohima on the theme “A step towards ensuring decent work for domestic workers.” The event was organised by the Centre for Development Initiatives (CDI), in collaboration with the branch office of Ferrando Domestic Workers’ Alliance (FDWA), Kohima.
Rame, who was one of the main speakers, opined that women face different problems such as harassment, sexual abuse and discrimination as they were always made to feel inferior to men at a young age, an update from CDI stated.
While underlining the indispensable services of domestic workers who were denied the fair treatment as deserved, Rame suggested formulating separate policies and regulations for domestic workers.
Any speaker and member of Nagaland State Commissioner for Women (NSCW), Kekhrienuo Meyase, suggested that domestic workers need to be trained and skilled in their profession in order to get decent wages. She added that the public needs to concentrate more on marching forward rather than focusing solely on the plights and problems of the domestic workers.
In this regard, she has suggested the need for a proper legal framework and regulations. She added that the nature of work should be categorised and working hours should be fixed according to the job.
She further suggested organising awareness and campaigns with employers to improve domestic workers’ working conditions.
Following the speeches, members held a discussion and drafted an action plan to carry forward its programme.
It stated that the round table conference was fruitful and valuable with the presence of various stakeholders from State Hub Empowerment for Women, women Helpline and DUDA.
Nirmal Singh, CDI programme head, gave an introduction and glimpses of CDI, while Bokali Kasho, CDI head of human resource and central coordinator, was the moderator of the round table conference.