The movement had its origins in early eighties in Chennai. Dr. (Sr.) Jeanne the founder, focused on groups of domestic workers trying to give them a voice and listen and respond to the experiences of indignity, abuse and exploitation at the hands of their employers. In 1985, Sr. Jeanne started multiple groups in Mumbai and Chennai to organise domestic workers and child domestic workers culminating in the formation of National Domestic Workers’ Movement, which has spread over 16 States.
Since 1985, NDWM has achieved several gains for domestic workers and we are committed to continuing our work until every domestic worker is able to enjoy a life of dignity and justice with full rights as a worker.
Domestic Workers – women or children have always been victims of society. Invisible, rejected and stigmatized, they would simply surrender themselves to their plight.
The Indian Constitution clearly spells out the duty of the Central and State Governments to pass legislation to provide assistance to maintain individual or family income or to provide income
The Movement partners with several NGOs and other like-minded agencies both within and outside the country for the protection and promotion of domestic workers’ rights.
Until very recently, domestic workers in India have been excluded from the purview of legislations to protect their rights. This neglect is all the more distressing as organized labour
Trafficking in human persons and engaging them in menial labour and domestic work, especially children and young girls from rural areas especially to cities for domestic work
For strengthening the economic empowerment of domestic workers, NDWM launched new initiatives like skills training, business skills development for supplemental income…
International Domestic Workers’ Federation is a membership based global organization of domestic and household workers.
The Kinderrechten Fonds- Jeanne Devos by K Leuven aims to support the activities of NDWM.
The National Domestic Workers Movement (NDWM) has been involved with domestic workers, children in domestic work and migrant domestic workers since 1985. We make all possible efforts to legitimize both domestic work and the domestic workers at all levels – local, state, national as well as international. We work across 16 states in India.
Leave us a message and we will get back.
