THE WOMAN HOME WORKER

MY HOME, MY WORKPLACE :

There are approximately 50 million homeworkers in South Asia (India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan & Sri Lanka). However it is a fact that the opportunities, facilities and wages for homebased workers are very low in Bangladesh, in comparison with other countries. Women working in factories and traditional workplaces get maternity leave, overtime, public holidays, medical expenses etc. They have the right to form associations to press their demands. Homeworkers do not have these benefits. BHWA has repeatedly requested the government to include homebased women workers in it's new LABOUR CODE and adopt a NATIONAL POLICY on home based workers to ensure better justice and representation to their cause. Homeworkers have no social security and are often subject to unfair trade practices by buyers.

In 1996, the ILO took up the cause of home based workers at its convention in Geneva. It called upon member nations to adopt a national policy on home based workers to ensure better justice and representation to their cause. At the ILO Convention, representatives from Bangladesh have not voted so far. This is hindering the cause of homeworkers in the country.

After a long struggle, the present government has finally accepted one of our long-standing requests for Trade Union recognition has been registered with the labour Ministry as a trade Union and homeworkers can now ask for basic worker rights using this platform. This is the first time that workers in the informal sector have got Trade Union status in Bangladesh.

MAJOR ISSUES CONCERNING WOMEN HOMEWORKERS IN BANGLADESH

a) National policy for home workers & inclusion of women home workers in the new labour code -

The basis for formulating a national policy has to be the ILO homework convention 1996. As per the various provisions outlined therein, all member countries must adopt, implement and periodically review a National Policy for homeworkers containing guidelines on all issues affecting homeworkers. Such issues include equality of treatment between homeworkers and other wage earners with respect to form organizations, protection against discrimination, occupational safety and health, social security, access to training, maternity protection, inclusion in labor statistics etc.

BHWA has repeatedly requested the government to include homebased women workers in it's new LABOUR CODE and adopt a NATIONAL POLICY on home based workers to ensure better justice and representation to their cause. However, representatives from the Bangladesh government have abstained from voting at the ILO Conference during the adoption of the HOME WORK CONVENTION and this country has still not ratified the convention.

On 25th-26th January 2003, BHWA conducted a 2-day Workshop on Homebased Workers and National Policy in Dhaka. Its theme was to devise a mechanism to frame a National Policy on homebased workers. This meeting submitted a Memorandum to the Labor Minister for formulating a National Policy at the earliest. As a follow-up activity, BHWA has been jointly organizing district level workshops (Barisal and Dinajpur)on the "Need for a National Policy for Homeworkers" with local member organizations. These workshops involve local decision-makers and local government officials. It aims at increasing nationwide awareness on this topic and generating favorable support for our cause.

b) Health, safety & social protection for women home workers

The majority of homebased workers are women, often with responsibilities for supporting the whole family, and for household and agricultural work. They have little choice in their employment and often have irregular work or insufficient markets for their products. Earnings are low and there are rarely systems of social security or health protection. In many places, there is no collective provision for basic needs such as decent housing, clean water, adequate diet or children's education. In an effort to come out of the cycle of poverty, the poor women in our country begin homebased work only to realize that they are sinking deeper into the rut because of the nil recognition of their efforts and total absence of any state support. Hence any economic benefit they derive from homebased work is nullified by the price they have to pay in terms of added health and safety problems, occupational hazards and no protection against unfair business and trade policies they might encounter.
Lack of awareness and social apathy are two important obstacles for women homeworkers in Bangladesh. This section focuses on the need to treat homeworkers and workers in the formal sector in the same manner.

Homeworkers must have the right to ask for the same health, safety and social protection facilities currently available to workers in the formal sector.

CORE ISSUES PERTAINING TO HEALTH, SAFETY AND SOCIAL PROTECTION OF WOMEN HOMEBASED WORKERS .

>> Recognition of HBWs as equivalent to workers in the formal sector
>> Supplementary development programs
>> Vocational Training for skill upgradation
>> Protection against Occupational Health Hazards
>> Provision for maternity benefits and post-natal medical facilities
>> Protection against domestic violence
>> Family benefits (medical reimbursements)
>> Retirement benefits (Old age pension)
>> Insurance schemes and policies
>> Compulsory savings schemes
>> Micro-finance schemes & interest free loans
>> Legal guidance and awareness

Bangladesh Homeworker Women's Association (BHWA)
House No. 11, Road No. 6, Dhanmondi R/A, Dhaka 1205, Bangladesh
Phone - +88-02-9673167, Fax - +88-02-9664557
Email - anindya@agni.com
Siraj/ Drik