DOMESTIC WORKERS Please see: https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/04/1061322 Study Sites: Shahpur Jat, Tilak Ngar, Okhla, Julena, Andrews Ganj, Mephar Garden, Gulmohar Park, Kalender Colony (Dilshad Garden) and Kotla. Figure 1: Reasons for fall in income Interestingly it was also reported that part-time or full-time domestic workers who were unmarried or alone were asked by their employers to move in with them for the lockdown period (some did to save costs on food) However, it would be important to understand if they were paid for the extra hours put in as part of the new arrangement. A community leader from the Domestic Worker's Forum informed that in the beginning of the lockdown some employers still asked domestic workers to come to work and she observed that women who are not part of the union or groups or in dire need found it difficult to refuse, Figure 4: Access to food rations during national lockdown “Earlier | could buy a bottle of Horlicks for my child but now! am trying to give her at least a small cup of milk each day... am trying to save money as! don’t think | will receive my salary for April.” (Interview, April 2020) Almost 51% women shared that the prices of items like vegetables, fruits, tea, sugar etc. had gone up significantly and they did not have enough money in hand to afford these items, especially milk for small children. Zarina, who works part-time in one household (monthly income Rs.1500/-) anda single mother of a6 year old girl, shared, Delhi government first announced distribution of extra rations for those who had PDS ration cards, followed by issue of Temporary rations (5 kg per month) for those without ration cards through submission of ‘e-coupons’. This was primarily done because most poor informal workers are migrants in Delhi whose identity documents usually belong to their native villages. The state governmen also set up community kitchens in municipal schools distributing cooked food and these have become lifelines for people who are now left with no income or savings to buy food rations or cylinders to cook food at home. Figure 5: Access to other essentials (besides food/fuel/water)
