PROGRAM ON TO ERADICATION OF BONDED LABOUR

“Education and social action to release 250 women bonded labourers working in quarries, brick kilns and hollow block units in 25 rural villages  in Kalasapakkam Block of Thiruvannamalai district”

Problems1. Bonded Labour and Debt Trap

Women working in quarries, brick kilns, and hollow block units are trapped in bonded labour due to advance loans taken from employers. Low wages, high interest, and exploitation make it difficult for them to escape debt.

2. Lack of Awareness of Rights

Many women are unaware of labour laws, minimum wage rights, bonded labour abolition laws, welfare schemes, and legal protections available to them.

3. Poverty and Unemployment

Most families depend entirely on daily wage labour. Seasonal unemployment, poor income, and lack of alternative livelihood opportunities force women to continue exploitative work.

4. Exploitation and Unsafe Working Conditions

Women face long working hours, wage discrimination, physical strain, harassment, and unsafe environments without protective equipment or health support.

5. Illiteracy and Limited Education

Low literacy levels prevent women from accessing government schemes, financial services, and better employment opportunities.

6. Social Discrimination and Gender Inequality

Women from marginalized communities face caste discrimination, social exclusion, domestic violence, and restricted participation in decision-making.

7. Child Labour and School Dropouts

Children of bonded labour families are often engaged in labour work or discontinue education due to poverty and migration.

8. Poor Access to Government Welfare Schemes

Many eligible families lack documents or support to access ration cards, health insurance, pensions, MGNREGA jobs, and rehabilitation schemes.

Solutions1. Identification and Release of Bonded Labourers

Conduct village surveys, legal awareness campaigns, and rescue interventions in coordination with the District Administration, Labour Department, and legal authorities to identify and release 250 bonded women labourers.

2. Legal Awareness and Rights Education

Organize awareness programmes, street plays, group meetings, and training sessions on:

• Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act
• Minimum Wages Act
• Women’s rights and labour rights
• Government welfare schemes

3. Formation of Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs)

Create and strengthen SHGs to promote collective action, savings habits, financial independence, and community leadership among women.

4. Livelihood and Skill Development Training

Provide vocational training such as:

• Tailoring
• Goat rearing
• Organic farming
• Nursery raising
• Small business management
• Eco-friendly product making

This will help women move towards sustainable alternative livelihoods.

5. Access to Government Rehabilitation Schemes

Support rescued labourers in obtaining:

• Bonded labour rehabilitation assistance
• Identity documents
• Housing schemes
• MGNREGA employment
• Social security benefits

6. Education Support for Children

Promote school enrollment and reduce child labour through:

• Educational awareness
• Tuition support
• School materials
• Parent counselling

7. Health and Safety Interventions

Conduct medical camps, occupational health awareness programmes, and distribute safety materials for workers exposed to dust, heat, and hazardous conditions.

8. Community Mobilization and Social Action

Develop village-level committees and women leaders to monitor exploitation, report abuses, and advocate for labour rights and social justice.

9. Networking and Advocacy

Collaborate with NGOs, labour unions, legal aid groups, and government departments to strengthen rescue, rehabilitation, and policy advocacy efforts.

10. Long-Term Empowerment

Build confidence, leadership, and economic independence among women so they can live free from exploitation and participate actively in community development and decision-making.

“Education and social action to release 250 women bonded labourers

working in quarries, brick kilns and hollow block units in 25 rural

villages  in Kalasapakkam Block of Thiruvannamalai district”.

This project being submitted is for the benefit of 250  women that have been

working in stone quarries, brick kilns and hollow block units as bonded labourers for many years.

•  The owners of the activities have advanced payment to the families. Because of this the

women are forced to continue to work for the owners at very low wages.

- The beneficiary women have no say in the fixation of wages.

•  Many a number of times the women have been subjugated to sexual exploitation. The poor

women succumb to the pressures of the owners and other male supervisors because of their total dependency status.

•  The education of the their children is at stake as the women have been circumscribed to live

near the work places that are far away from the villages and schools.

•  The health of the women is almost always poor as the women are involved in activities

that are associated with lifting of heavy materials. When they are sick they are not given

time to attend to proper medical attention and care. As a result many of them live with one

infection or the other

•  The beneficiary women are unhealthy and suffer from iron deficiency anaemia and ill health.

There had been instances of abortions due to hard work and lifting of heavy materials.  

Please give us links to relevant websites, newspaper articles and videos related to the problem you're addressing, so we can inform ourselves

- https://frontline.thehindu.com/social-issues/article30187667.ece

- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/trichy/six-bonded-labourers-rescued-from-brick-kiln-in-tamil-nadu/articleshow/103579911.cms?from=mdr

What is the main goal of your action?  (50-100 words)

•  BOSS NGO proposes to create proper and appropriate awareness to the beneficiary women on women’s issues and autonomy that will include women’s rights as envisaged in the constitution and through subsequent enactments in the parliament:

- Property rights, sexual rights, legal rights, benefits in education institutions, employment opportunities, political rights etc.

•  Generation of public consciousness on issues related to emancipation of bonded labour through organization of rallies
•  Release the 250 women labourers from bondage and help them find alternative occupation

As the first measure of action, BOSS NGO  will arrange peaceful consultations and discussions with the owners of brick kilns, stone quarries, hollow block units to evolve a peaceful solution to the problem failing which, BOSS NGO will work with the women bonded labourers and government machineries to proceed to organize other forms of action that will include direct action .

•  Organization of 5 days awareness cum brainstorming sessions with the 250 beneficiary

women on the future course of action that wil include discussion on swithcing over to other alternative occupations

@ 25 women per program – to spread over each program over a three weeks period to

facilitate the organization of the programs on rest days only

•  Organization of rallies together with distribution of handbills and exhibition of posters on

relevant issues in 25 villages involving women in self-help groups, beneficiary groups and

youth groups – total number of participants in each village will be about 100

•  Organization of one day intensive education programs for 20 young women in self-help

groups in each of the 25 project villages

These education programs will be organized in their native villages only.

•  Holding one day consultations with the 50 owners of brick kilns, hollow block units and

quarries and in the process involve the government departments to add necessary back up

action for the program

•  Other participants in the project – members and leaders of women in self-help groups, youth

groups and formal and informal leaders in the selected villages