The foot soldiers of human rights
movement
In 2008, I joined an
organization to lead a project (which is Pan India Government scheme for
protecting child rights and it is also known for its work on Child protection
including Child marriages and trafficking.) This project was initiated as
private effort which became a government scheme as it had shown its major
impact in the field of child protection.
After
joining this project I met my colleagues who were working as field workers and
have assignment to visit field and directly deal with children in need. I found
them unwilling and looking depressed. I suggested them that if they don’t want
to work with this project they should do some interesting which they find
connected to them as they were energetic youths. They were silent and said they
will try to overcome and work with passion. After a brief orientation I wonder
to learn that they are working for Rs
1500/month salary which was 50% of minimum wage prescribed by Government for
unskilled workers and with a basic educational qualification and training they were
eligible to be semi skilled workers whos minimum wage at that time were Rs.
4200
My
team members were native of different rural areas who were migrated to get this
job and living in rented shelter. It was really painful to see that they were
arranging almost everything food, shelter and cloths because they always need
to maintain their cloths (as prescribed by organization). Two of them were
responsible for night duty in the office, and the organization obliged them by
convincing them that as they are staying in office they not need to pay rent
anywhere. For using the office they became responsible for doing office
assistance. Some time they were doing cleaning and washing. They were also
responsible for cleaning the office car.
Para-counselor
was getting Rs 2500 while the minimum wage for skilled worker was 5500 and I
was getting Rs 9000 it was more than minimum wage.
So
why they were working in such a exploiter environment because they was no
option available there. Majority of those field workers were enrolled in BSW
(Bachlor of social work) in IGNOU and they wanted to make their career in
social sector and they hoped that one day they can get a handsome salary.
One
of my team members once said “we claim to protect the children and their rights
but who will come to protect our children” the other team member replied “the
same project” and we laughed loudly.
I
raised this concern before my seniors and the nodal agency we were reporting to.
And it was a shock to learn that the whole project was shaped in such situation
our organization was not doing any wrong according to project. There was no
enough money to provide its staff.
I
tried to manage in my capacity but with in a year I decided to leave for some
reason. In 2010 they reviewed their budget and they provided some more money
into it but still that was less than minimum wage.
In
2012, I attended a meeting organized by a well know international agency working against poverty and injustice worldwide. They are also known to work
against Modern day slavery. In that meeting their partners were presenting
their achievement and other strategies. During that presentation I learnt that
one of their projects provides Rs 1300 to their field workers in Delhi. Who
works in Slum areas with right based approach. The director of that partner NGO
was saying that this budget is even not sufficient for the traveling of those
field workers. I asked her if her organization is giving some more money to
them She refused by saying we have very few projects and almost all projects
are alike so there is no extra budget to give them.
So
why they are working answer is same with hope that one day the budget of the
project will be increased and they will get full salary.
So
Government to International agencies, the foot soldier of any project have
almost same pathetic situation to survive, they claimed to be protector of
human rights but they can’t protect themselves.
It
is well established fact that most of national international organizations hire
some human recourse provider agency to place office staff and other workers
just to avoid laborer law. This is not applicable for skilled workers but the
unskilled workers; they know that they can’t directly exploit skilled workers
so they hire peon, drivers and other field workers on payroll of some Human resource
agency. Rest their skilled workers work without any restricted work hours
because they are doing social work and fighting for social justice.
(continued)