Only a week after her infant died suddenly at four months, while sleeping, Seema had to rush to work, toiling up and down a six-floor building under construction near India's capital.
Her son, 2, covered in mud and gravel, played nearby as the mother struggled to balance a stack of bricks on her feeble frame.
Three years ago Seema and her husband, also a construction worker, were thrilled when they arrived in Noida, a satellite city outside New Delhi.
They came from Bhagalpur, in Bihar, one of India’s most impoverished states.
But last week, the 20-year-old hurriedly buried the baby and returned to work, afraid of losing out on the daily meagre earnings that support her family.
“My heart is broken, but I had no time to mourn. If I don’t work, I won’t get paid,” Seema, who uses only one name, told The National.
“My body is too weak and I can barely breathe because of the weight of the bricks but I have another son to feed.”
Women like Seema, toiling hard at construction sites, are a common sight across India.
Like their counterparts in many other sectors, women get a raw deal because of gender bias, despite making equal contributions to the industry.
Construction is the second largest industry in India after agriculture, contributing significantly to the country’s economy.
There are more than 40 million workers engaged in the sector, of which 49 per cent are females, as per the latest data from the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
About 65.68 per cent of the registered workers are in the age group of 16-40 and another 35 per cent are aged above 40.
Invisible workforce
Construction has traditionally been a male-dominated industry, but an army of invisible women remain the backbone of the workforce.
Most women labourers are illiterate and married off at a young age, often joining their husbands in cities where they are recruited by contractors.
They work as concrete mixers, diggers, stone breakers and brick haulers, but are never considered skilled enough to work as masons or carpenters.
Yet even at those lower levels, women are paid less than their male counterparts.
A male labourer makes up to 500 rupees ($7) a day but a woman, who does equal physical labour, is paid 300 rupees ($4) a day and often allowed to work only 15 days a month.
In addition to the hard labour, they have to fulfil many family responsibilities, including cleaning and feeding the children and husband.
They even toil when they are pregnant and resume work soon after giving birth.
At construction sites, women can often be seen working hard as their newborns sleep in makeshift cloth cradles.
“I worked until seven months into my pregnancy and resumed work a month after delivery," Seema says. "If I rest, we cannot survive on my husband’s income.”
They lack amenities such as clean toilets and basic safety equipment, making the women prone to hazards and exposure to construction pollution.
Their hands and feet are exposed to the cement mixture, causing skin diseases and scoliosis from inhalation of cement dust.
Activists say the women labourers suffer because of low levels of awareness and gender discrimination.
Organisations such as the Self Employed Women’s Association (Sewa) — India’s largest female trade union, say most women labourers are unaware of their rights.
“These women hardly get any facilities because their employers do not feel the need to provide those facilities and the women never question them,” Lata, who also goes by single name, vice president of Sewa’s Delhi Union, told The National.
“They work more, compared to men working at one place, as these women climb scaffolding carrying bricks, facing hazards yet they are not respected,” she said.
Ms Lata said that frequent migration from one city to another leaves them without any social security benefits that provide maternity, health and pensions in their home states.
“The contractors recruit them from villagers and keep sending them from one place to another. There needs to be awareness and co-ordination among all the states,” Ms Lata said.
Cycle of Debt
Many women are forced to work in the construction industry to supplement the family income.
Others want to pay off debts that may have arisen after failed farming ventures, while raising children and, in recent years, due to the pandemic.
The pandemic upturned the lives of tens of millions of people around the world but the Indian migrant workers were among the hardest hit by lockdowns and economic disruptions.
Most of the casual workers were out of work for months after India imposed a lockdown in March 2020 to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Many took loans to survive the bad times and now are working to pay off those debts.
“My husband took a loan of 50,000 rupees ($650) during the Covid pandemic. I have to work now to help him pay it off,” Mohsina Bibi, 25, said.
The working conditions also take a toll on the mental health of these women as they are forced to live away from their children.
While most give birth in cities, they leave their children with grandparents in villages at a young age for care as they struggle to live in makeshift tents or buildings under construction to save money.
Sulochana Kumari, a 32-year-old worker from Panna in central Madhya Pradesh state has three children — two sons, 15 and 14 and one daughter, 11, who live with their grandparents.
A school dropout, Ms Kumari was a homemaker before she started working a few years ago when her children grew older and the family needed more money.
“It is not easy to live without your children. I miss them every day,” Ms Kumari told The National.
“This work is very hard. My whole body hurts but if I do not work, we will never have enough money to save for our children,” she said.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Jawan
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAtlee%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Shah%20Rukh%20Khan%2C%20Nayanthara%2C%20Vijay%20Sethupathi%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The biog
Age: 35
Inspiration: Wife and kids
Favourite book: Changes all the time but my new favourite is Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
Best Travel Destination: Bora Bora , French Polynesia
Favourite run: Jabel Hafeet, I also enjoy running the 30km loop in Al Wathba cycling track
What is Diwali?
The Hindu festival is at once a celebration of the autumn harvest and the triumph of good over evil, as outlined in the Ramayana.
According to the Sanskrit epic, penned by the sage Valmiki, Diwali marks the time that the exiled king Rama – a mortal with superhuman powers – returned home to the city of Ayodhya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman, after vanquishing the 10-headed demon Ravana and conquering his kingdom of Lanka. The people of Ayodhya are believed to have lit thousands of earthen lamps to illuminate the city and to guide the royal family home.
In its current iteration, Diwali is celebrated with a puja to welcome the goodness of prosperity Lakshmi (an incarnation of Sita) into the home, which is decorated with diyas (oil lamps) or fairy lights and rangoli designs with coloured powder. Fireworks light up the sky in some parts of the word, and sweetmeats are made (or bought) by most households. It is customary to get new clothes stitched, and visit friends and family to exchange gifts and greetings.
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
THREE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS
Khalfan Mubarak
The Al Jazira playmaker has for some time been tipped for stardom within UAE football, with Quique Sanchez Flores, his former manager at Al Ahli, once labelling him a “genius”. He was only 17. Now 23, Mubarak has developed into a crafty supplier of chances, evidenced by his seven assists in six league matches this season. Still to display his class at international level, though.
Rayan Yaslam
The Al Ain attacking midfielder has become a regular starter for his club in the past 15 months. Yaslam, 23, is a tidy and intelligent player, technically proficient with an eye for opening up defences. Developed while alongside Abdulrahman in the Al Ain first-team and has progressed well since manager Zoran Mamic’s arrival. However, made his UAE debut only last December.
Ismail Matar
The Al Wahda forward is revered by teammates and a key contributor to the squad. At 35, his best days are behind him, but Matar is incredibly experienced and an example to his colleagues. His ability to cope with tournament football is a concern, though, despite Matar beginning the season well. Not a like-for-like replacement, although the system could be adjusted to suit.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
MATCH INFO
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
Fixtures
Wednesday
4.15pm: Japan v Spain (Group A)
5.30pm: UAE v Italy (Group A)
6.45pm: Russia v Mexico (Group B)
8pm: Iran v Egypt (Group B)
The most expensive investment mistake you will ever make
When is the best time to start saving in a pension? The answer is simple – at the earliest possible moment. The first pound, euro, dollar or dirham you invest is the most valuable, as it has so much longer to grow in value. If you start in your twenties, it could be invested for 40 years or more, which means you have decades for compound interest to work its magic.
“You get growth upon growth upon growth, followed by more growth. The earlier you start the process, the more it will all roll up,” says Chris Davies, chartered financial planner at The Fry Group in Dubai.
This table shows how much you would have in your pension at age 65, depending on when you start and how much you pay in (it assumes your investments grow 7 per cent a year after charges and you have no other savings).
|
Age
|
$250 a month
|
$500 a month
|
$1,000 a month
|
|
25
|
$640,829
|
$1,281,657
|
$2,563,315
|
|
35
|
$303,219
|
$606,439
|
$1,212,877
|
|
45
|
$131,596
|
$263,191
|
$526,382
|
|
55
|
$44,351
|
$88,702
|
$177,403
|
SCHEDULE
6.30pm Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
7.05pm: Handicap Dh170,000 (D) 1,600m
7.40pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
8.15pm: Handicap Dh210,000 (D) 1,200m
8.50pm: Handicap Dh210,000 (D) 2,000m
9.25pm:Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 1,400m
Amith's predicted winners:
6.30pm: Down On Da Bayou
7.05pm: Etisalat
7.40pm: Mulfit
8.15pm: Pennsylvania Dutch
8.50pm: Mudallel
9.25pm: Midnight Sands
Company profile
Date started: Founded in May 2017 and operational since April 2018
Founders: co-founder and chief executive, Doaa Aref; Dr Rasha Rady, co-founder and chief operating officer.
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: Health-tech
Size: 22 employees
Funding: Seed funding
Investors: Flat6labs, 500 Falcons, three angel investors
THE SPECS
Engine: 4.0L twin-turbo V8
Gearbox: eight-speed automatic
Power: 571hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,000-4,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.4L/100km
Price, base: from Dh571,000
On sale: this week
LAST 16
SEEDS
Liverpool, Manchester City, Barcelona, Paris St-Germain, Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig, Valencia, Juventus
PLUS
Real Madrid, Tottenham, Atalanta, Atletico Madrid, Napoli, Borussia Dortmund, Lyon, Chelsea
At a glance - Zayed Sustainability Prize 2020
Launched: 2008
Categories: Health, energy, water, food, global high schools
Prize: Dh2.2 million (Dh360,000 for global high schools category)
Winners’ announcement: Monday, January 13
Impact in numbers
335 million people positively impacted by projects
430,000 jobs created
10 million people given access to clean and affordable drinking water
50 million homes powered by renewable energy
6.5 billion litres of water saved
26 million school children given solar lighting
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
