We rarely talk about periods as a public health crisis in the unorganised sector. Domestic workers in India are entangled in such a situation where they work long hours and are paid poorly with no job security. They are denied the right to health, education, justice, and dignity. According to a study, the informal sector employs 96% of the female labour. In such a scenario, staying home due to menstrual pain means losing a day’s wages.
What The Domestic Workers Are Facing
Usually, they are not allowed to use the toilet in the house they employed. No period leaves exist for them when they are menstruating. This means they have to work long shifts without being able to change their sanitary products. Sometimes there are communal toilets for them to use provided by the society or they have to do their business in discreet public places.
Bhagwati lives with a urinary tract infection and has no access to toilet at her place of her, “I relieve myself behind some bushes or parked vehicles. If someone finds me, they yell at me. But nobody understands that if I had a place to urinate, I wouldn’t be doing it in public.”
It makes them vulnerable urinary tract infections. Sometimes they’re provided access to toilets designated for them in a community, but not always. To support domestic workers, the state of Maharashtra in 2017, started the unique campaign called right to pee. It highlighted the lack of clean and safe public toilets in the cities.
The Rights Of Domestic Workers
Why is it that the people can significantly be vocal of their rights but utterly ignorant towards the rights of women working in their houses? Baby Kumari, associated with Dilli Gharelu Kamgar Sangathan, works for the rights of domestic workers. She considers that the class difference is the main reason for such discrimination.
Tripti Lahiri, in her book, Maid in India expresses that “the issue is not considered wrong as the relationships in India are hierarchical based and there is no reason this would be different.”
Period Leave And Domestic Workers
The concept of maternity leave has gained acceptance and is a part of the law in most countries, including India (Maternity Benefit Act, 1961). Similarly, there is a movement for approval of period leave irrespective of caste and type of work. If period leave becomes law, then can it be in favour of domestic workers in which they can at least take one to two days’ leave without the cut from their pay.
“Periods are a real hassle for me. I go through severe abdominal cramps, back pain and fatigue. For those three or four days, I would feel nauseous all throughout the day. But how many times can I ask for leaves? They will tell me not to come anymore,” shares a 40-year-old woman who works as a maid in Bengaluru.
Bulti, a mother of two children’s works as a domestic help in Kolkata, shares, “The pain is terrible some months. I have to take medicines, but I simply cannot fail to turn up at work. I will lose my wages. But pads have helped provide me with some relief. Earlier, while using cloth rags, I would always be worried about leaks and stains. I would have to rush back home every now and then to change. The rags didn’t dry well in our small room as there is no sunlight. I contracted vaginal infection. That’s when the doctor advised me to switch to pads.”
Bulti shares the new trend of taking pills during periods to endure the pain. Domestic workers are one such group for whom period woes are monthly troubles. They endure it silently with no choice left. At a personal level, we can advocate for more leaves for them till it gains wider acceptance. Sanction paid leaves, or permit small breaks between work.