Is Goa’s environment safe and secure for women to work on night shifts? The Factories (Goa Amendment) Bill 2019 was passed in the Legislative Assembly clearing the way for women to be allowed to work on night shifts in factories and industries. It is a strange paradox when Deputy Chief Minister Chandrakant Kavlekar speaks about gender equality at work place while Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao counters with the soft and delicate side of Goan women.
Opening up new job opportunities for women is a welcome step, but are Goa industries and factories ready to open up the night shift for women? Chief minister Pramod Sawant says that necessary steps have been taken to ensure safety and security of women. Against a bleak ground situation, the CM’s assurance appears far from convincing.
On the face of it, the night shift for women could end up to be a logistical nightmare for industries since the onus will be on them to create that safe and secure environment. This includes the drop home for women staff after work hours. The government will only oversee and ensure that the laid down parameters are met. The question here would be if industries are willing to take risks, especially when there could be a serious law and order issue. Also, industries would rather work out their human resource costs before arriving at a decision on hiring women staffers.
What happens to the women on duty opting to manage their own mode of transport? Will it be the government’s responsibility to provide them a secure environment at that time of the night? The night-patrolling till now has proved to be inefficient and Goa continues to grope in the dark over the nuisance created by some in the late hours under the influence of alcohol. There is no helpline and the potholed and barely-lit Goan roads cannot assure anyone of a safe journey back home. Herein crops up the requirement of better infrastructure and reinforced security.
The consent option which the CM speaks about is a farce. Nobody can force women employees to work late in the night against their will since it will entail charges of harassment at work place. Also, in the private sector, staffers, especially Goans are not used to working outside their comfort zone. And which is why migrants have made huge inroads into Goa, pouncing at every opportunity.
However, there are positives too. In a fast changing Goan lifestyle, the women of the State will have to step up and show enterprise when an opportunity knocks. It will be her call entirely, based on how best each individual is ready to take up challenges. The picture of soft and delicate Goan women painted by legislators in the assembly can’t be a deterrent for all. There are women who have worked at odd hours and yet excelled in their respective spheres of work. The hospitality sector, hospitals, airports and even casinos have women working on all shifts.
It is to be seen how best the government can ensure a safe and secure environment for the woman labour force.
