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Email this citationCIAO DATE: 02/03
Violence Against Women Construction Workers in Kerala, India
S.K. Hari Priya
December 2000
Abstract
This study examines violence against women construction workers in Kerala. One hundred and fifty female construction workers (permanent and seasonal) were selected to participate based on a stratified random sampling technique to represent various age, social, and economic groups. Fifty workers were selected from three types of organisations. Kerala State Nirmiti Kendra (NK) is a government construction agency. Habital Technology Group (HTG) is an NGO involved in habitat awareness and the construction of low-cost houses using environment-friendly building materials. Southern Investment (SI) is a private construction company involved in the construction of residential multistoried apartments in southern India, including Trivandrum, the capital city of Kerala. The primary survey for the study was conducted during May and July 2000.
The data were collected by postal questionnaire, coded, and analyzed with the help of the computer software Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). Information collected included distance from home to work, length of experience in construction, reasons for work in construction, level of education, number of children, problems at the work site, and membership in unions. The statistical results are tabulated in the full report.
For most of the respondents, the workday began between 7:00 and 8:00 a.m. and ended between 5 and 6 p.m., depending on the nature of work. On average, they worked 9 hours, with half an hour for lunch and one 10 to 15-minute break morning and afternoon. Every woman worked for approximately 20 to 25 days in the non-rainy season and received on average 80-120 rupees (US$ 3) per day. Even though the women did tougher jobs than the men, there was a wage difference of 10-30 rupees for women for unskilled manual job.
Most of the women entered the construction sector due to circumstantial poverty or by chance, not by choice. Despite the generally high literacy level in Kerala, 53.3 percent of the respondents were illiterate. The majority of the respondents (44.7 percent) had worked in the construction sector for fewer than 5 years and 18.7 percent of the respondents for more than 10 years. At HTG 24 percent of the women had more than 10 years experience. The corresponding figures for NK and SI were 18 and 14 percent respectively. Thus, unlike NK and SI, HTG is capable of holding senior women workers in this sector, which may reflect more favorable policies at HTG.
Only 24.7 percent of the respondents had children under 6 years of age. In HTG 21.6 percent of the respondents had children younger than 6 years. The figures for NK and SI were 43.2 percent and 35.1 percent respectively. Regardless of whether women workers had infant children, none of the organisations provided crèche facilities. Most women liked the idea of mobile crèches but there are no such facilities available in the state. In HTG some young women workers demanded a crèche facility and HTG provided a women worker to look after all the children even though there was no crèche facility. This type of temporary arrangement was not reported in SI and NK.
Women workers carried out most of the difficult work eg. carrying bricks, rocks, or mortar in a head load. Only 13.3 percent of the respondents performed some type of skilled work, including masonry, carpentry and painting; 76.6 percent of the women worked as unskilled manual labour. The percentage of skilled labourers was 22.0 percent in HTG, 10 percent in NK, and 8 percent SI. HTG provided training for women in skilled jobs. NK also provides some training. SI never provided training for its workers. Financial problems were the main hurdle to learning a skilled job for 18 percent of women. A similar percentage of respondents stated that they could not learn a skilled job because of family responsibilities. In HTG the main problem was poor basic education (26.0 percent), in NK--financial crisis (24.0 percent), and in SI--scarcity of information (24.0 percent).
The major problem faced by all women in the three organisations was non-availability of toilets at the sites. Most of respondents expressed the opinion that at least a temporary type of toilet could be arranged by the organisations. Immediate supervisors, contractors, sub-contractors and colleagues were a major source of problem for women workers. One third of the respondents commented on the arrogant attitudes of contractors, sub-contractors and colleagues; 24 percent complained of frequent abuse for no reason. Friendlier relations existed at HTG. In a personal discussion with the chairman of HTG, Mr. G. Shankar, we learned that, if any male member abused or behaved arrogantly towards women workers, he was warned twice. At the third report, the male worker's name was removed from the list of labourers. Due to this policy, women felt comfortable and men were friendly towards women workers. Harrassment affected employee behaviour towards other co-workers and family members. Some women experienced depression. Decrease in productivity was the main impact of harassment.
Sexual harassment of women workers was a rare phenomenon in all the three organisations. There were no rape or molestation cases. In many cases extra marital relations were noticed with co-workers or sub contractors. This could be in retaliation against the habit and behaviour of husbands. Husbands of 36.0 percent of respondents were alcoholic. One third of the women were exposed to frequent beating and 18.0 percent mentioned that their husbands had affairs with other women.
The majority (68 percent) of the respondents were paid members of a construction workers' union (78 percent in HTG, 72 percent in NK , and 54.0 percent in SI). Provision of different types of welfare activities and support mechanisms was the chief reason given for joining a union. Nonetheless, 28.0 percent of respondents felt that female representation in the construction workers' union was inadequate and that existing women members were not pro-active.
A similar percentage of respondents stated that men always tried to dominate women in most of the decision-making processes within the union. Only 10 percent of workers in HTG felt that men dominated the decision-making process. The figures for NK and SI were 32.0 percent and 38.0 percent respectively.
All respondents expressed their willingness to join a campaign for the benefit of women workers, provided the leadership was capable of delivering the desired result. Most respondents opined that the leadership quality of women construction workers was poor and that these women need proper training to lobby for their demands. Most of the women construction workers were not willing to send their girl children into construction work. Most of them sent their daughters to school and were optimistic. They thought their children would get a better job. A copy of this report will be given to all three organisations, all unions of construction workers, the Kerala Women Commission, and the Chief Minister of Kerala for necessary intervention. Mr. Shankar, Chairman of Habitat Technology Group, who is also member of various Government Committees on Habitat agreed to follow up the recommendations of this study.
Based on this study, a strategic paper will be developed and will be circulated to all 3 organisations to improve the quality of life of women construction workers as a follow up of this study. At least for the first two children, 90 days of maternity leave with full pay should be given to women workers. This can be achieved through a group insurance scheme. There should be a mobile crèche and mobile toilet facility even if only one woman needs this facility. The head of the organisation should meet all women workers every 3 months to learn about their specific problems. There should be enough drug de-addiction centres for husbands of women workers to have a peaceful life at home.
