Workers' Observatory

Underpaid and Overworked. Hear the voices of India’s workers at home and in factories. See how industry practices impact their lives through Cividep’s ground reports. Share these stories and help amplify their voices.

Stop repeating history!

Our research uses systemic analysis and mapping to reveal the deep-rooted inequalities low-wage workers face. Use these insights to inform and empower your efforts.

The Idea

Indian RMG workers

12 Million+

Share of women workers

80-90%

Wage range

Rs. 7000 – 13,500 p.m.

Why are we talking about workplace rights? Because someone has to. While AI in the workplace gets a lot of attention, the human rights risks from corporate practices often go unnoticed. This neglect affects a large part of Indian society, where people rely on jobs to escape poverty. Yet many of these factory jobs come with poor working conditions, low pay, and trap families in cycles of disadvantage, blocking their chances of moving up in life.

Our fieldwork and research uncover these difficult realities, especially in garment manufacturing where a majority of workers are women. That’s why we created the Workers’ Observatory. It focuses on human rights in the workplace, especially in sectors like the readymade garment industry. Through stories and data visualisations, we show the challenges women workers face and stress the need for stronger protection of their rights.