International Domestic Workers Day – 16 June
Sr Pramila Lobo UFS
Dimapur
Every year on 16 June, the world observes International Domestic Workers Day to recognize and celebrate the invaluable contribution of domestic workers to families, communities, and national economies. Yet, beyond the appreciation and commemorative messages lies a deeper reality—a reality that often remains untold, unheard, and unseen.
Who will tell their story?a
Who will listen?
The answer must be all of us—employers, policymakers, civil society, and ordinary citizens.
Behind every well-managed home, every professional who leaves for work with peace of mind, and every institution that functions efficiently, there is often a domestic worker whose labour makes it possible. They clean our homes, prepare our meals, care for our children, support the elderly, and shoulder countless responsibilities that keep households running smoothly.
Yet, despite being indispensable to our daily lives, domestic workers remain among the most invisible members of our workforce.
The Invisible Backbone of Urban India
Domestic work has emerged as a significant source of employment, particularly for women in urban India. As cities expand and more women enter the formal workforce, the demand for domestic workers continues to grow.
However, this growing demand has not translated into dignity, security, or adequate protection for domestic workers.
Most continue to work in the informal and unorganized sector, often without written contracts, social security, minimum wage guarantees, health insurance, paid leave, or retirement benefits. Their labour sustains households and contributes indirectly to economic productivity, yet their own lives remain marked by uncertainty and vulnerability.
This contradiction presents a painful paradox: they are economically indispensable, yet socially invisible.
The Reality Behind Closed Doors
Domestic work is performed behind the four walls of private homes. Because it happens away from public view, it often escapes public scrutiny and legal protection.
The untold stories of domestic workers frequently carry titles such as:
• Underpayment and wage discrimination
• Long working hours without overtime compensation
• Lack of weekly rest and holidays
• Verbal, emotional, and sometimes physical abuse
• False accusations and humiliation
• Job insecurity and arbitrary dismissal
• Absence of social security and legal safeguards
For many domestic workers, the workday begins before sunrise and ends long after sunset. Many manage not one home, but two—the employer's household and their own family responsibilities.
While society applauds productivity in offices and industries, the labour that sustains homes is often taken for granted.
Why Do We Fail to See Them?
Domestic work has historically been viewed as an extension of women's unpaid household responsibilities. Since similar tasks are traditionally performed by women within families, society often undervalues domestic work when it becomes paid employment.
As a result, domestic workers remain hidden in plain sight.
We notice clean floors but not the person who swept them.
We enjoy prepared meals but forget the hands that cooked them.
We pursue careers and education while someone else cares for our children and elderly family members.
Their presence is felt every day, yet their identities remain overlooked.
The Context of Nagaland and the North-East
In Nagaland and across the North-East, domestic work is shaped by unique social, cultural, and economic realities. Ethnic diversity, migration, urbanization, special constitutional provisions, and historical socio-political developments all influence the structure of the domestic labour market.
Many domestic workers migrate in search of employment and better opportunities. While they contribute significantly to urban households, they often face challenges related to social protection, labour rights, and economic security.
Their experiences remind us that domestic work is not merely a private arrangement between employer and worker; it is a matter of social justice, human dignity, and public concern.
From Invisibility to Recognition
The question before us is not whether domestic workers contribute to society. Their contribution is undeniable.
The real question is: What are we willing to do for their protection, dignity, and empowerment?
Employers can begin by ensuring fair wages, reasonable working hours, weekly rest, respectful treatment, and humane working conditions.
Policymakers can strengthen labour protections, establish minimum wage standards, expand social security coverage, and formally recognize domestic workers within labour frameworks.
Civil society can amplify their voices and advocate for their rights.
Each of us can acknowledge their humanity and dignity.
Let Their Stories Be Heard
Imagine your home without the support of domestic workers.
Imagine balancing employment, childcare, elder care, household management, and daily responsibilities entirely alone.
For countless families, domestic workers make this balance possible.
Yet many of them continue to struggle silently.
Their lives are like flowers that bloom in the darkness of night, offering beauty, fragrance, and service, only to fade unnoticed by morning.
Let us not allow them to wither in invisibility.
Let us allow them to bloom in dignity.
A Call for Recognition and Justice
As we commemorate International Domestic Workers Day, let us move beyond mere appreciation and commit ourselves to meaningful action.
Let us acknowledge their contributions, sacrifices, and services.
Let us make the invisible visible.
Let us hear the unheard.
Let us tell the untold stories.
Domestic workers are not merely helpers in our homes; they are partners in the care economy and contributors to national development. They deserve recognition, protection, fair wages, social security, and above all, respect.
To every domestic worker:
Today, we honour your labour, your resilience, and your dedication.
We salute your presence in our homes, institutions, and society.
Without you, many of our lives would come to a standstill.
Your story matters.
Your work matters.
And your dignity matters.
On this International Domestic Workers Day, let us pledge not only to celebrate domestic workers but also to stand with them in their journey toward justice, visibility, and recognition.
Let the untold story be told.
Let the unheard voice be heard.
Let the unseen worker be seen.
