Abstract

The commitment of the Welfare state enables to look up at the topic of maternity rights at work as a pious obligation of the State. The issue of feminization of Labour effectively places the issue within the groove of globalisation perspective. The efforts of International labour organization since its inception in 1919, followed by the human rights perspective brought in by Universal Declaration of Human rights, the recent ideals of ILO the Decent Country Work Programme in the wake of globalisation trends and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals with its avowed objective of No one shall be left behind motto, highlights the issues of women work force and their unique vulnerabilities. Indian labour scenario stands apart as a reflection of this thought with its versatile composition of workforce i.e. 93% of the unorganized workforce as against the miniscule 7% of the organised work force. As a corollary to the globalised work age, in India unskilled women workers receive no health insurance coverage during pregnancy, childbirth or post-natal period. Collective bargaining remains an illusion. Despite progress in maternity benefits and a trend supporting paternity leave, the ILO report finds most women around the world are still not protected at work. The paper focuses on three major areas of concern, firstly the major premise of unorganized work space, secondly, the prominent issue of female participation and thirdly, the maternity rights at work in the unorganised sector in the backdrop of national and international mandates in place highlighting the need of the hour in the wider canopy of future of work and skill upgradation in emerging India.

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