Liberated is a word often associated with Goan society, and with our
rose-tinted glasses on, we probably let a lot of less than perfect situations
pass us uncorrected. One such is the working condition of women in Goa, say
women in state and trade organizations.
Chairperson of Goa State Women’s Commission Ezilda Sapeco says, “Even though
the labour department has made it mandatory for companies to provide facilities
like child care leave, maternity leave etc for female workers, women workers in
general do not seem very happy about the facilities being provided in Goa.”
Sapeco says that while big firms provide the facilities to some extent, these
often are unavailable to workers of small firms, whose number is big in Goa.
“As a result, female employees often prefer resigning from their job after
giving birth to kids,” she said, adding that awareness about rights of women
workers seemed to be poor in the state.
“The feudal mindset is still prevalent in Goa where female daily wage workers
are paid less than men. This tradition continues in villages as well as the
cities which probably exposes our society,” says Carmelita de Souza, who works
at an industry unit in Kundaim.
AITUC leader Christopher Fonseca says, “In many shops and establishments, there
is not even toilet facilities for female employees.” He pointed out that the
poor transport facilities in Goa expose women to harassment and that very often
women asked to work late hours are not provided rides back home. “Women in Goa
look a little more distinguished, but it does not mean they are liberated. We
have a long way to go. A larger number of women are working in the informal
sector without being given commensurate pay,” Fonseca says.
Kamgarancho Ekvott president Subhash Naik Jorge says, “There are many women
working in industrial estates which do not have trade unions. Here, workers
mostly work on contract with no facilities such as PF and ESI. They are
exploited. Women workers become the worst victims of such treatment. Men can
work for 12 hours and go home safely. For women these are pathetic conditions.”
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