Lakhs of workers in states Assam, AP, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, HP, Jharkhand, Kerala, Karnataka, MP, Maharashtra, Punjab, Pondicherry, Rajasthan, TN, UP, Uttarakhand and WB held demonstrations at district and block level and gave memorandum to the Minister for WCD, Government of India. In Haryana and Jharkhand the anganwadi workers and helpers were on strike against the state governments.
AIFAWH has given this call to press for the long pending demands of the more than 26 lakh anganwadi workers and helpers in the country and the immediate issue of the government policy and opening up of unscientific pre-schools throughout the country. AIFWAWH has also raised the issue of the labour law changes by the Modi government in this protest
The demands are
- Institutionalization of ICDS
- Right to education for 3-6 years old children
- Scientific pre- school education only through anganwadis for the future of the children
- Regulate/ban unscientific pre-schools or convert them into anganwadis
- Regularise anganwadi workers and helpers and all scheme workers as employees; pay minimum wages and pension
- Withdraw the pro employer change in the labour laws
AIFAWH’s protest action was synchronized with the AIKS-CITU call for action against the anti labour policies and privatization spree by the Modi government on 5th September 2019, the anniversary of the Mazdoor Kisan Sangharsh rally last year.
This protest was also in coordination with the protests by ASHA and Mid Day Meal workers held on 3rd and 4th September respectively throughout the country on the same and similar demands which were called by All India Coordination Committee of ASHA workers and Mid Day Meal Workers Federation of India.
Issued by
A R Sindhu
AIFAWH