Revisiting Labour Welfare For Women In India: Towards A Coherent Regulatory Framework
P. Giri Raju, Research Scholar, KL College of Law, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation, Vaddeswaram.
Dr. K. Sarada, Assistant Professor, KL College of Law, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation, Vaddeswaram.
ABSTRACT
The basic vision of the Constitution of India as projected by its framers, symbolizes the vision of a complete social change, which is to be effected by law as a living motivating tool of social change and social integration. This achievement of equality of status and opportunity of women is among the fundamental goals which are enshrined in the Preamble, the Fundamental Rights, and the Directive Principles of State Policy. Nevertheless, the very pluralistic and stratified character of the Indian society, which is characterized by the constant existence of the economic and social inequalities, still shapes and conditions the place and life experiences of women. The Constitution is aware of these structural disparities and thus it has a variety of welfare-based provisions that are intended to empower and uplift women. A drastic shift has been achieved in the recent decades and consists of a number of legislative and administrative interventions supported by an active and progressive judiciary that have resulted in diverse and meaningful implications to women in sectors. In addition, the efforts like the National Policy on the Empowerment of Women, 2001, and the explicit undertaking of the Government of India by the ambitious 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are likely to bring a significant change in the trend by directing it towards inclusive growth and development by addressing the multifaceted issues that face women. As the India is characterised in the context of a democratic polity, the legal architecture, development strategies, policies, and programmes related to the workforce, especially women who work in the organised as well as the unorganised sectors, have constantly been aimed at supporting the welfare of women in many aspects of life. These are aimed at improving the social, political and economic position of women, and at the same time improving structural imbalance and hindrances that complicate equitable involvement of men and women towards achieving better living standards and respectable livelihoods. However, the successful execution of such welfare schemes has not been easy and straightforward particularly where national resources are limited. It is against this backdrop that the current paper aims at critically looking at labour welfare provisions as applied to women and as such to reiterate the need to reform the labour law regime in India with special reference to the salient features and implications of the four newly reformed labour codes dealing with wages, industrial relations, social security and occupational safety, health and working conditions.
Keywords: Unorganised, Seasonal Employment, Wage Discrimination, Labour Welfare, Gender Equality, Uniform labour Code.
