Domestic help needs help

The big news about Modi meeting the Facebook chief was less about economics and more about emotions. His mother, worked as a domestic help and that welled up many a eyes. But what it also did, or should do is highlight the state of the domestic help we all have at home. Just as our attitude of looking at a humble chaiwallah has changed, shouldn’t it also bring into limelight the millions of people who toil, day-in and day-out across India.

There is data from National Sample Survey Office’s (NSSO) 2011. It has shown that the plight of domestic workers is terrible when compared to others working in the unorganized sector. NSSO has shown that female domestic workers in urban areas earn almost half the wages of their peers in other informal sectors. But male or female, urban or rural, the bottomline is that domestic workers earned consistently less.

There are many helps which face abuse of all kinds, inhuman treatment meted out, sometimes being treated like slaves. This is not restricted to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries alone, in India too, domestic helps are probably the most exploited lot. After this emotional confession of Modi, maybe it is high time, he looks anew at this poor segment of people and help improve their quality of life. Money alone is not enough, dignity is equally significant for living a respectable life.