Home-based workers contribute greatly in informal economies. However, their work is rarely recognised. North East Network has been working towards visibilising the work carried out by home-based workers in different regions of North East India. This International Home-based Workers Day, NEN is made efforts to create awareness around the theme “My Work, My Identity”.
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- Campaign in Assam
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- Campaign in Meghalaya
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- Campaign in Nagaland
Assam: On International Home-based Workers Day 2023, meetings were conducted with home-based workers in the Gramin Mahila Kendras of Dhemaji, Golaghat, Kamrup, Udalguri, Darrang and Sonitpur to create awareness about the contributions of and challenges faced by home-based workers.
Home-based workers shared their experiences involving the varied work they carry out in their day-to-day lives. Conversations unfolded about the lack of recognition of home-based work and the various challenges informal women workers face, such as time constraints, the burden of household work, lack of awareness of social security schemes etc. The discussions were followed by a poster-making session that aimed to create further visibilisation of home-based work. In Sonitpur and Dhemaji, workers also presented their hand-crafted products during this campaign.
Meghalaya: NEN Meghalaya celebrates International Home-based Workers Day, 20th October 2023: Cross-learning initiatives were organised for the NEN Women’s Collectives of East Khasi Hills District. Women survivors of Paltan Bazaar and Tailoring Unit of Madanryting got together for an orientation and skill-building session in ucycling clothing. This campaign was aimed at fostering the exchange of experiences and skills to strengthen the network of home-based workers in Meghalaya.
Nagaland: Home-based Workers Day 2023 was celebrated across the districts of Dimapur, Shamator and Kohima. The discussions carried out during the campaign focused on strengthening the network of home-based workers. In Dimapur and Kohima, awareness was also created about the C177 – Home Based Workers Convention, 1996 along with the Labour Department. Moreover, exhibition and sale stalls in Shamator and Kohima created the necessary exposure for home-based workers from the region by giving them an opportunity to present and sell the products prepared through hard work and dedication. Together, these efforts aimed to uplift and support this vital segment of the informal workforce, ensuring their skills and contributions are recognised and celebrated and their challenges addressed.
