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Today, 600,000 of India’s 1 million accredited social health activists ( #ASHA workers) have gone on strike for 2 days to demand better and timely pay, and a legal status that ensures minimum wages. Follow this thread to know more:
In Bihar, only ~20% of #ASHA workers have been given masks & gloves for #COVID19 screening. Without proper equipment, ASHAs fear they will catch the infection, said Chunni Kumari, an ASHA from East Champaran district, in our May 2020 story https://www.indiaspend.com/why-bihars-door-to-door-screening-could-be-underreporting-covid-19-cases/
In Nagaland, Meghalaya and Assam, experts suggested that #ASHA workers be roped in to help prevent #domesticviolence during the #lockdown and provide redress to victims, as we reported in April 2020 https://www.indiaspend.com/activists-urge-roping-in-asha-workers-and-other-novel-approaches-as-domestic-violence-rises-during-lockdowns/
ASHAs are crucial to detect & prevent malnutrition in children. Yet, a 2015 study in north Bihar found only 25% ASHAs understood their role; 70-90% needed better training, monetary support & timely replenishment of drug kits, we reported in July 2018 https://www.indiaspend.com/why-health-workers-paid-rs-4000-per-month-are-vital-to-indias-national-nutrition-mission-22093/
Involvement of ASHA workers in #COVID-related surveillance work impacted the community-level distribution of #contraceptives, hampering women’s access to birth-control in rural areas, @vinojmanning, CEO of @IDFTweetz, told us in an interview in July 2020 https://www.indiaspend.com/1-85m-women-may-have-failed-to-get-an-abortion-during-lockdown/
The wage penalty is blatant in India & professions dominated by women such as #ASHA work do not even command the minimum wage. ASHAs are paid Rs 2,250-Rs 4,400/month & get no pension, maternity, holiday or other benefits, we reported in March 2019 https://www.indiaspend.com/how-unpaid-work-keeps-indias-women-poor-and-unequal/
