The workplace should ideally be a supportive environment where employees’ rights are safeguarded. However, this is often not the reality. Recent tragic incidents, including the deaths of Ms. Anna Sebestain, Mr. Karthikeyan, and Mr. Saurabh Kumar Laddha, have highlighted the need for better protection of employee rights.
India’s economic landscape is divided into formal and informal sectors, with varying levels of employee welfare and rights. Even in the formal sector, many companies operate illegally, pushing employees beyond their limits and denying them fair treatment and compensation.
The situation is worse in the informal sector, where marginalized individuals face exploitative conditions, inadequate wages, and minimal legal protection. According to the Ministry of Labour & Employment, between 2017 and 2020, an average of three people died and 11 were injured daily due to accidents in India’s registered factories.
Women in the Workforce: A Struggle for Equality
Women in the workforce face additional challenges, including low wages, long hours, and inadequate rest periods. Many workplaces lack a supportive environment, leading to low representation of women in India’s workforce.
Addressing the Challenges
CYDA is working to address these issues through initiatives providing employment opportunities, skill-building programs, and advocating for equal human rights for women in the workplace.
A public dialogue on “Our Rights, Our Future, Right Now” was organized by CYDA in collaboration with its sister organisation RUBAL Foundation, allowing marginalized groups to raise their voices against workplace harassment and discrimination.
Bridging the Gap through Collective Action
To ensure dignity and fairness in workplaces, governments must enforce labor laws aligned with international human rights standards and hold violators accountable. Collective action from employers, governments, and individuals is necessary to create a world where dignity and fairness prevail.
By amplifying marginalized voices and advocating for change, we can work towards a future where employee rights are safeguarded, and workplaces are supportive and inclusive environments.
Written by Soumyashree Mohanty, Research Associate, CYDA
