Penkoottu, an organisation of women labourers, based in Kozhikode, is planning to demand the right to entertainment and to rest for working women on the occasion of International Women’s Day on March 8.
“A working woman is forced to work for eight hours or more at the workplace and then return home for more work,” said Penkoottu president P. Viji. “They are often deprived of any sort of entertainment or proper rest. On this International Women’s Day, we plan to put across the idea of eight hours each for labour, entertainment and rest, something that most men enjoy by default.”
Penkoottu, formed in 2009 as a collective of women working on S.M. Street, started with its fight for the rights of women labourers, who worked for years without a pay hike or registration under the Labour Department.
In 2010, Asanghatita Meghala Thozhilali Union (AMTU) was formed under Penkoottu to ensure the registration of the labourers and to address the more political issues faced by women. AMTU was instrumental in the fight for proper toilets on S.M. Street and other parts of the city, though the victory was only marginal. It later spearheaded the ‘Right to sit’ campaign unleashed across the state by women working in textile shops.
Unorganised sector
The activities of Penkoottu are not restricted by membership, and it works for all women in the unorganised sector. “We have seen that the condition of women, despite their official powers, are the same at home. Many women officials of higher ranking do not have a voice at home, lest the power to make their own decisions,” said Ms. Viji.
Penkoottu finds the term ‘women empowerment’ offensive, as the organisation believes that empowerment was for the powerless and that women were not powerless, but were unaware of their own power. “On the contrary ‘women’s liberation’ is a much preferred term,” said Gargi Harithakam, one of the leaders.
On March 8, Penkoottu plans to take out a procession on S.M. Street with an aim to highlight the plight of working women in a patriarchal society through skits, slogans and banners to put across the idea. Besides, a book Pennorumbettal by J. Devika will be released on the occasion, followed by a discussion.
