Recognising largely ‘invisible and marginalised’ HBWs’ role

HBWs' products on display during the exhibition cum sales in Supermarket area, Dimapur.

HBWs' products on display during the exhibition cum sales in Supermarket area, Dimapur.

International Home-Based Workers Day observed in Nagaland 

Dimapur, October 20 (MExN): In an effort to recognise the role and contribution of women Home-Based Workers (HBWs) in Nagaland, NEN Nagaland in collaboration with SEWA – Nagaland observed the International Home Based Workers Day on October 20 across three districts in the State.

HBWs are those who produce goods and services for the market from within and around their homes.  In Nagaland, a large section of women HBWs are own-account/self -employed workers, engaged in weaving textiles and stitching clothes, processing and preparing food items, making craft products including jewellery, basket weaving, shoe-making, etc.

Apart from augmenting family’s income, they also contribute significantly to the local and national economy, and yet they remain largely invisible, isolated and marginalised, NEN stated in its press statement on Tuesday.

In Kohima, skills development training was organised at NEN Kohima Resource Centre for HBWs. In a hands-on training, 12 HBWs learnt basket weaving from Bedukhrulu.

7 HBWs participated in food processing training imparted by Vizotuo-u, where they learned pickle making skills using seasonal vegetables such as bitter gourd, king chilli, brinjal and cherry tomatoes. The training aimed to equip the HBWs with the knowledge and skills to preserve surplus seasonal vegetables through value addition, while enabling them to earn an additional source of income, the release informed.

In Shamator, Tuensang, 23 HBWs participated in the exhibition cum sales of HBWs’ products. Items that were on sale include local snacks, chilli powder, traditional jewellery, woven textiles, baskets, knitted accessories, pickles, tailored masks, etc. Similarly in Dimapur, 74 HBWs participated in the exhibition cum sales of HBWs’ products at Super Market area.

NEN also released a video of HBWs titled ‘We are Workers Too’ and distributed a pamphlet on HBWs on the occasion.