February 2016 Woman At Work Digital

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y their employers, either through unlawful termination or forcing them to resign by altering working conditions beyond their endurance.A country that worships married heroes even in their 50s, 60s and 70s and conveniently discards a heroine the moment she is married, is a glaring example of the popular mindset.It is these realities that make one contemplate whether the latest government proposal to increase the three month maternity leave to eight months for working women under the Maternity Benefits Act, 1961, will truly benefit women employees or add to the persistent gender gap disparities further worsening their already glooming employment prospects. Yes, we do have a comprehensive law. The Maternity Benefits Act, 1961, enumerates varied provisions, like employer can neither dismiss a woman employee during pregnancy nor vary any condition of service to her disadvantage, an aggrieved woman can file a civil or criminal suit, offenders can be imprisoned or fined. However, the question is how successfully has the Act been implemented throughout the country, especially in the light of the fact that it addresses women working only in the organised sector, while majority of the female workforce is employed in the unorganised sector. Yes, we do have a vigilant judiciary as well. In 1991, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the pregnant employees in the case of Neera Mathur vs. Life Insurance Corporation of India, while in 2012,when Indrani Chakraverty brought a criminal case against her employer the Idiom Consulting Ltd. for violating the Maternity Benefits Act, the Delhi High Court ordered that she should be paid Rs 7.5 lakh as settlement if the criminal proceedings were to be dropped. However, the question is how many women are able to actually take the offenders to court, especially in the light of the fact that post delivery, besides health issues, the woman in India is already grappling with family and societal pressures. The need of the hour is not a raise in the number of days of the maternity leave but a rise in the standards of implementation of the existing law, in order to comprehensively safeguard the female workforce in the organised and unorganised sectors alike. Post pregnancy incentives should not be limited towards enabling women to resume work and barely survive, by engaging them in less important endeavours. Rather, efforts should be proactively directed towards encouraging them to take up ambitious roles fully maximising their expertise and experience. manojwad@jswad.in Tips to Remember: Be vigilant while entering into service agreements. Maintain vital records: Copy of Service Agreement, e-mails, any other relevant correspondence with your employers. Hire professional help to assist you in exercising your rights under the law. 44 | February 2016
WOMEN IN THE NEWS Courtesy: ndtv.com Courtesy: ndtv.com Courtesy: ndtv.com India-born Padmasree Warrior, one of Silicon Valley's high-profile women executives, has been appointed as the US CEO of a Chinese firm which is building an electric car to compete with American electric car manufacturer Tesla. Ms Warrior stepped down from the position of Cisco's Chief Technology and Strategy Officer last year. Currently she serves on the board of American clothing giant Gap and Microsoft. Passengers travelling in trains will now have the option of enjoying food prepared by some women self-help groups (SHGs) as Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is planning to tie up with them to enhance its e-catering portfolio. The empanelled self-help groups will be displayed on e-catering websites with their menu and prices. A fleet of women driven motorbike taxi service, by the name ‘ojeks’ has been launched in Jakarta, the capital city with a large Muslim population and terrible traffic jams. The bikers are females with headscarves, running bikes as taxis only for women passengers. This is a unique service currently available only through smart phone apps. Courtesy: ndtv.com Courtesy: timesofindia In order to address the declining birth rate and give a boost to women’s careers, South Korean President Park Geun-hye has made paternity leave a priority issue. Many companies are now encouraging more fathers to avail the equal childcare leave as a part of the company Courtesy: policy. www.ndtv.com This has given rise to a new generation of ‘Superdads’ who are actively participating in childcare by taking paternity leaves. Tulika Sahu, a student of Arts College, Lucknow, has become the first woman in the country to earn a doctorate in photography, a rare subject for a doctoral programme. February 2016 | 43 45
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Page 18 and 19: COVER STORY women are now at a high
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February 2016 Woman At Work Digital

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