A Psychological And Human Rights Perspective On Exploitation Of Domestic Workers In India

Abstract

Human Rights Watch gives a piquant image of domestic workers in its report, around ten million of global population are engaged as workers in private households. Domestic workers not only had been vehemently ignored by the law and legal system, it rarely reached the doors of human rights protection in informal employment. This paper explores the intersection of human rights and psychology, examining the profound psychological impact of mistreatment on domestic workers. From a psychological perspective, the power dynamics in employer-employee relationships contribute to learned helplessness, diminished self-esteem, and emotional trauma among domestic workers. Household being the workplace gives a source of employment to the migrants, women & children. The domestic workers are vulnerable and unprotected class of employees specially women. There are several factors that are compounded for their vulnerability like indecent working conditions, caste, patriarchy, sexuality, and marginalization. Despite the mechanism of legal protection, domestic workers are abused physically, mentally and sexually. As human rights are inherent to everyone, international law requires that domestic workers' rights be recognized without discrimination. The new system of governance that is envisaged by human rights law every individual is to be considered keeping in view equality, fairness and reasonableness. This research is to explore rights of the domestic workers, their human rights protection and prevention from abuse through suggested measures.