BHUBANESWAR: Odisha State Commission for Women (OSCW), on Wednesday, released a report of its analysis on the situation of women workers in the unorganised sector of the State. The research was carried out by Sansriti, a centre for gender development, and was commissioned by the OSCW.
OSCW officials pointed that according to Odisha economic survey (2014/15), 27.2 per cent women are total workers. While, 33.9 per cent women are main workers, 66.1 per cent are marginal workers and 23.2 per cent are other workers.
The research, which was conducted in Khurda, Cuttack, Jajpur, Keonjhar and Ganjam, focused on the women construction workers’, registered and non-registered, living and working conditions, enrollment status and access to benefits from Odisha Building and Other Construction Worker’s Welfare Board (OB and OCWWB), their legal rights and their awareness about it.
OSCW officials observed that the concerns of the women workers are yet to be fully mainstreamed into policy framework. The officials pointed that lack of rest sheds was leading to violence against women workers. Besides, the women workers in unorganised sector were also not getting all the benefits due to a weak monitoring system.
According to the research, women workers have to wait for a long time to get registered under OB and OCWWB. The board members said, the Government will set-up a labour office in every block for the convenience of the workers. Women and Child Development Minister, Prafulla Samal; Chairman, OB and OCWWB Subash Singh and OSCW Chairperson Lopamudra Baxipatra, were present.