Workers In Visibility:
Resetting the Aspiration
Spotlighting the needs and hopes of informal workers in India
85% of India's non-agrarian workforce comprises of informal workers¹.
They build our homes and cities, manufacture goods and provide daily services.
The hard work of more than 200 million workers ensures that we live comfortably².
Yet they have remained invisible because of systemic barriers and our collective apathy.
They build our homes and cities, manufacture goods and provide daily services.
The hard work of more than 200 million workers ensures that we live comfortably².
Yet they have remained invisible because of systemic barriers and our collective apathy.
Who are these workers?
In addition to those employed in informal enterprises and households, there are many who are informally employed even in the formal sector. Informality of employment implies that workers by law or in practice, are not subject to labour legislation, income tax or employment benefits. Some real world examples of its manifestations are:
Lack of registration in employers' or government databases
|
Less than the recommended threshold of INR 375 per day³
|
No formal enforceable contracts, unaccounted time/effort
|
The systemic challenges faced by these workers are multi-layered and affected by their intersectional identities
Persistent Inequalities affect informal workers even as they make up for 85% of the workforce⁴ |
Gendered Vulnerabilities affect women as they earn ~30-40% less than male counterparts⁵ |
Distress Migration seen, ~70% of 78M rural -urban migrants are from disadvantaged groups⁶ |
COVID-19 Impact may induce 260M new poor, reversing 10-year progress on poverty⁷ |
Click on the boxes to know more!
Experts agree that the entire informal sector contributes to half of India's GDP. However, inequalities faced by India's vulnerable workers are a stark contrast to high GDP growth.
Latent potential of workforce not harnessed
India is home to 14% of the world’s labor force and yet contributes only ~7% of the world’s GDP share in PPP terms; unemployment is highest in over 4 decades,
based on analysis of data by the World Bank
based on analysis of data by the World Bank
Poverty continues to be a challenge
~22% of the population lives below the national poverty line; India faces a gap of 11% for achieving its targets under Sustainable Development Goal 1 – No Poverty,
based on NITI Aayog's SDG Index 2019-20
based on NITI Aayog's SDG Index 2019-20
Lack of safe and decent work
Health and safety challenges of the Indian workforce are linked to a global problem:
~2.8 million lives are lost per year from work-related injuries and illnesses, worldwide, basis ILO estimates
~2.8 million lives are lost per year from work-related injuries and illnesses, worldwide, basis ILO estimates
Raising women’s participation in the labour force can increase India’s GDP by 27% according to the International Monetary Fund. However, women are entrenched in informality of employment, more likely to be engaged in low-paying unskilled work, that protracts inequity.
Women's work is not valued
In India women spend 84% of their working hours on unpaid activities,
while men spend 80% of their working hours on paid work, estimates NSSO data
while men spend 80% of their working hours on paid work, estimates NSSO data
Precarious positions in the market
In India, women’s jobs were 1.8 times more vulnerable to loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic than their male counterparts, calculates McKinsey & Company
The wage disparity is wide
Households depending on female workers as primary earners tend to be poorer due to the wage gap, women get paid lesser even while doing the same work as men, ILO states
Migration is a critical solution to build economic opportunity, but for this demographic of workers, it is currently driven by distress.
Adapted from this source.
The nationwide lockdown triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, brought with it a truly unprecedented time for India, exacerbating challenges, particularly for the informal migrant workers, with a denial of even the most basic needs, like food.
Exodus in large numbers
The Economic Survey states that ~6.3 million migrant workers travelled by Shramik Special trains from May-August 2020; many more travelled on foot, by bus, etc.
Severely impacted livelihoods
81% of migrant workers reported losing their livelihood during the lockdown
(according to an Action Aid survey of 11K workers)
(according to an Action Aid survey of 11K workers)
Inadequate social security
A survey of 3K construction workers by Jan Sahas in the initial months found that 42% of them had no ration left even for the day, let alone for the duration of the lockdown
It took an unprecedented crisis to spotlight the troubles of this thus far invisible workforce.
But now, we have an opportunity to reset the aspiration by enabling inclusive growth.
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."
- Lao Tzu
- Lao Tzu
Join those who are marching ahead!
Action Landscape |
Social Compact |
Inclusive by Design |
Migrant Women Workers |
Discover the ecosystem players from across non-profits, industry and government
|
Know more about a multi-stakeholder platform that enables equity and dignity for informal workers
|
Dive into key insights on the construction sector - flagship report by Godrej Properties Ltd. and Dasra
|
Learn about intersectionalities surrounding poor migrant women workers, supported by the Robert Bosch Stiftung
|
References
1,4: https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_emp/---ifp_skills/documents/publication/wcms_734503.pdf
2: https://www.indiabudget.gov.in/economicsurvey/doc/vol2chapter/echap10_vol2.pdf
3: https://labour.gov.in/sites/default/files/Commitee_on_Determination_of_Methodology.pdf
5: https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---asia/---ro-bangkok/---sro-new_delhi/documents/publication/wcms_638305.pdf
6: https://thewire.in/labour/india-migrant-workers-covid-19-crisis-socio-economic-status
7: https://www.huffpost.com/archive/in/entry/coronavirus-indians-poverty-oxford-university_in_5ebd2ccbc5b6078ff41ceb80
1,4: https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_emp/---ifp_skills/documents/publication/wcms_734503.pdf
2: https://www.indiabudget.gov.in/economicsurvey/doc/vol2chapter/echap10_vol2.pdf
3: https://labour.gov.in/sites/default/files/Commitee_on_Determination_of_Methodology.pdf
5: https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---asia/---ro-bangkok/---sro-new_delhi/documents/publication/wcms_638305.pdf
6: https://thewire.in/labour/india-migrant-workers-covid-19-crisis-socio-economic-status
7: https://www.huffpost.com/archive/in/entry/coronavirus-indians-poverty-oxford-university_in_5ebd2ccbc5b6078ff41ceb80