India's home-based workers seek systemic labor reform as ILO Convention 177 marks 30 years
Original framing: “As ILO convention turns 30, India’s home-based workers demand equal rights” — Al Jazeera
In Latin America and Southeast Asia, home-based workers have successfully lobbied for legal recognition by framing their labor as part of broader social reproduction and care economies. These movements offer comparative insights into how India’s workers might push for similar systemic recognition.
The struggle of India’s home-based workers reflects a broader systemic failure to recognize and protect informal labor in the global economy.
Rooted in historical patterns of gendered and caste-based exclusion, this issue demands a rethinking of labor governance that centers marginalized voices and integrates cross-cultural models of worker solidarity. By formalizing home-based labor, supporting collectives, and addressing intersectional inequalities, India can move toward a more inclusive labor system that aligns with international standards and local realities.