Description

Laws, Justice and Rights for Women in the Modern Era
Editor: Prof. Dr. Yogesh Kumar Gupta, Ishan Ahmad and Premananda Murmu
Published by Universal Academic Books Publishers and Distributors,
New Delhi (India)
ISBN: 978-81-686113-5-1, 2026

Chapter 24

Occupational Safety and Social Security for Women in the Informal Sector: A Legal Analysis

K. Keerthana
Assistant Professor, Vels Institute of Science, Technology, and Advanced Studies (VISTAS)

1. INTRODUCTION

Women make up a large share of India’s informal workforce, driving economic activity through roles such as domestic work, farming, construction, street vending, home-based production, waste collection, and small-scale businesses. Yet, they remain among the most disadvantaged workers due to the lack of occupational safety and social security. Informal jobs are typically marked by unstable wages, insecure conditions, absence of contracts, and exclusion from labour protections. These challenges are compounded by gender discrimination, unequal pay, unpaid care duties, and limited access to healthcare and maternity benefits.

India’s Constitution, through Articles 14, 15, 21, 39, 42, and 43, commits the State to ensuring social justice, humane working conditions, and social security for all workers. However, the fragmented nature of informal employment has prevented women from fully realizing these guarantees. Recent laws, including the Code on Social Security (2020) and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code (2020), aim to unify labour protections, but their reach and effectiveness for informal women workers remain limited.