A part of the Countering Backlash: Reclaiming Gender Justice project with the support of Shehri Mahila Kamgar Union and the Institute of Development Studies, Sussex
(all pictures and design credit: Aparna Konat)
This handbook has been created with the objective of preparing leaders, particularly young people, from within the paid domestic work sector and who are directly connected with the community, to take up and strengthen the struggle for their rights. It builds on the long history of domestic workers’ organising in India and globally, and seeks to contribute to ongoing struggles for recognition, dignity, and rights. It is premised on the understanding that organising domestic workers is critical for advancing the rights of domestic workers and enabling them to challenge the everyday injustices they face. It recognises that many of the issues surfaced in the handbook are not isolated experiences but shared realities that can be transformed through collective action. The handbook draws on participatory and feminist pedagogical approaches that centre lived experience, collective reflection, and dialogue. Rather than positioning domestic workers as passive recipients of information, the handbook is designed to surface their knowledge, build shared analysis, and strengthen confidence to act collectively.
