Legislative Landmarks

Through its extensive work with domestic workers and other stakeholders, NDWM has managed to bring about some impact in the justice and legislative system for the Domestic workers in the country.

The achievements in the field of Domestic Workers are as follows:

• The Domestic Workers (Conditions and Services) Bill 1996, introduced in Parliament in 1998
• Advocates Mr. Colin Gonsalves, Ms. AparnaBhat, Mr. P. Ramesh Kumar, and Mr. Vipin M. Benjamin filed the Public Interest Litigation (PIL): National Domestic Workers’ Welfare Trust and Others (Petitioners) versus Union of India (Respondent). This lawsuit seeks to compel the respondent to enact comprehensive litigation protecting the rights of domestic workers throughout India. On April 10, 2003, the Honorable Justices Mrs. Ruma Pal and Mr. B.N. Srikrishna of the Supreme Court of India agreed to hear the PIL. This was an important breakthrough for NDWM after ten years advocacy on behalf of the implementation of legislation protecting domestic workers.
• Tamil Nadu Domestic Workers Welfare Board (constituted 22 January 2007) under section 6 of the Tamil Nadu Manual Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Work) Act 1982 – Nomination of Chairman and Members-Orders-Issued;
• The Central government amended the Central Civil Service Conduct Rules to prohibit any government official/civil servants from employing children below the age of 14 years as domestic workers.
• Indian law prohibits the employment of children below 14 years age, in certain occupations in accordance to the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act 1986. By 10 October 2006, the ban on child labour included employment of children in domestic work.