Over 60 Lakh Anganwadi, ASHA Workers Demand Labour Rights Status
More than 60 lakh women working as Anganwadi, midday meal, and health workers are currently classified as 'volunteers' rather than 'workers', denying them labour law protections and benefits. A three-day national convention in Bhopal, which concluded on Sunday, brought together over 400 representatives from 18 states to demand official worker status for 27 lakh Anganwadi workers and assistants, 10 lakh ASHA workers, and 25 lakh cooks-cum-helpers.
The Bhopal Declaration called for halting Aadhaar-linked barriers to child nutrition services, stopping use of facial recognition and mandatory apps, and ending privatisation of government food programmes. The convention also demanded improved infrastructure for Anganwadi centres in tribal and remote areas, effective social audits, and restrictions on junk food near schools.
