It is a proposed rights-based legislative framework aimed at providing legal recognition, social protection, fair remuneration, and livelihood security to home-based workers in India.

No. This is not a government Bill. It is a policy advocacy and pre-legislative consultative initiative developed through the National Working Group on Home-Based Workers. It is meant to inform and support future legislative processes.

It does not have legal status or enforceability at this stage. Instead, it serves as a guiding framework for discussion and possible policy development.

The draft is being prepared by a National Drafting Committee constituted by the National Working Group on Home-Based Workers. It is a group of experts working in a consultative and evidence-based manner. The process is being coordinated by Dharama Foundation.

The Bill is in an advanced drafting stage. A revised draft has been prepared, and stakeholder consultations are ongoing for further refinement.

No. The Bill must be introduced in Parliament — either as a Government Bill or a Private Member's Bill — and then passed through the legislative process.

Dharama Foundation coordinates the National Working Group and facilitates research, drafting, consultations, and policy engagement. It functions as a policy support and convening institution, not a statutory authority.

Home-based workers are individuals who carry out income-generating activities from their homes, usually in informal or subcontracted arrangements across sectors such as textiles, handicrafts, food processing, and small manufacturing.

Workers are engaged through field consultations, group discussions, membership, and multi-state stakeholder interactions to ensure that the draft reflects lived realities and ground-level challenges.

The initiative aims to support legislative introduction through dialogue with Members of Parliament and policy stakeholders, particularly through the Private Member's Bill route and broader policy advocacy.

Members of Parliament provide policy support, legislative guidance, and in some cases may introduce the Bill in Parliament as a Private Member's Bill.

No formal government funding has been received. The initiative is currently supported through institutional coordination and contributions from well-wishers and collaborators.

Yes. Researchers, institutions, civil society organisations, and individuals can contribute through consultations, research inputs, and stakeholder engagement processes.

The Bill is expected to create a significant positive impact by bringing home-based workers into the formal recognition system, which is currently missing for many of them. Legal recognition will help ensure that their work is visible in policy frameworks and eligible for government support.

It also aims to strengthen social protection measures, so that workers can access benefits such as health security, maternity support, and welfare schemes. By addressing fair wages, the Bill seeks to reduce exploitation and ensure that home-based workers receive equitable compensation for their labour.

Overall, the initiative is designed to improve livelihoods, promote gender equality — since a large proportion of home-based workers are women — and support more inclusive and sustainable development.