Redesign POSH law for informal sector

In the recent assembly polls, we were once again inundated with information about how much of a difference the women's vote made to the outcome.

- Lalita Panicker

Indeed, in many places, they seemed to have swung the election decisively, and schemes that prioritised their needs were seen as a major factor behind the way they voted.

Having said this, given the ingrained violence against women and the systemic issues they face, it is not surprising that once polls are over, it is back to a very hard grind for many, especially those in the informal sector like agriculture. A study by Nalini Nayak on behalf of SEWA Bharat on women in agriculture shows that apart from the physical labour of transplanting, weeding, harvesting, and carrying headloads of produce, the working conditions of women farmers, especially the marginal ones, are gruelling. They have little to no health care, no maternity leave, and no protection from the harsh climate conditions in which they work. Sexual harassment is a constant for many of them.