Khadija came to Gurgaon when she was just 10 years old to work as a maid and financially support her family back in the village. In the last 15 years she has worked with different households as a part time and full time domestic worker. In her short life, Khadija has experienced many forms of sexual harassment.
Khadija has always been interested in helping others, and this led her to become member of the Ekta Group formed by domestic workers in Harijan basti in Gurgaon where she lives. Her leadership and sensitivity made her a natural pick as gender champion. Trained on gender issues and the SHW Act, she is now a mobiliser for the group and supporter of other women workers in her neighbourhood.
Sensitive and inclusive, Khadija engages other workers of her groups in discussions on their safety and security. She shared her own stories of harassment in her group. Her courage strengthened the voice of other group members. Khadija led her group in conducting the participatory safety audit in Gurgaon.
Khadija has led several small protests to fight the injustice in her locality. To support her fellow domestic workers she has also visited the local police station several times. When a domestic worker was so badly beaten up by her employer that she had to be hospitalized, it was Khadija the domestic workers working in that upscale condominium complex turned to for leadership to raise their voice against the injustice. Khadija informed the project team, seeking their support, and from members of other civil society organizations and trade unions. She stood in front of the picket line the next day when all the maids working in the building refused to go to work till the police filed an FIR against the employer. The case is still subjudice but the incident catalyzed the domestic workers of Gurgaon to fight for their rights.
Khadija’s confidence is unparalled. As a panelist at an event organized by the project in Oxford Bookstore, New Delhi, she held her own among the more seasoned civil society representative and trade union members. She shared stories of the daily harassment her fellow workers face, making an emotive appeal for all citizens to take action to ensure the dignity of women informal sector workers. Khadija has also participated in conversations to give recommendations on effective implementation of the SHW Act, where she has presented data from the survey which she conducted in her locality.