New Delhi:
Women have slogged it out at home without any tangible value attached to what they do for time immemorial.
That could change with the Supreme Court observing that the work of women at home mostly goes unrecognized and is never valued, and suggesting that the Parliament consider enacting a law to evaluate household work done by home-makers.
The court expressed shock at the process of gathering census data, pointing out that home-makers were categorised as non-workers and were equated with "beggars, prostitutes and prisoners." This, the court said, "betrays a totally insensitive and callous approach...indicative of strong gender bias against women."
The apex court wants the current census exercise to correct this practice.
In a judgment delivered on Thursday, the apex court said there was discrimination against women in various social legislations and also in judicial pronouncements.
"A wife or mother does not work by the clock. She is in constant attendance of the family throughout the day and night unless she is employed and is required to attend the employer's work for particular hours. She takes care of all the requirements of husband and children including cooking of food, washing of clothes, etc. She teaches small children and provides invaluable guidance to them for their future life," the apex court said.
A Bench of Justices G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly was dealing with a case of enhancement of compensation in an accident where the victim was a home-maker.
A tribunal had awarded the family Rs 2.5 lakh as compensation. To calculate compensation the law provides that the income of an unemployed person be taken as one-third of the spouse's income.The victim's husband approached the High Court for enhancement of compensation, failed to get any, and then approached the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court, while increasing the compensation to Rs 6 lakh, with a 6 per cent interest from 2004, said the award of compensation should be done after scientifically assessing the value of the unpaid home-maker. It said this scientific assessment should also apply to claims in division of property.
The court asked Parliament to revisit the Motor Vehicle Act to ensure that whenever a housewife dies, suitable compensation is awarded to the family members, to avoid gender bias. In separate but concurrent judgements, the Bench also suggested amendments to the Matrimonial Laws to give the women their due status in the society.
The UPA government has already committed that it shall push for consensus to ensure that the Women's Reservation Bill be made law in the Monsoon Session starting on Monday. If it acts on the Supreme Court's suggestion too, it will go a long way in ameliorating the condition of the Indian woman.
(With PTI Inputs)