The Issue

Marginalised communities across India, particularly in rural areas, face severe challenges related to employment and economic stability. Lack of job opportunities forces many to migrate in search of work, leading to family separation and increased vulnerability to exploitation. Informal labor markets often exploit workers, offering low wages and poor working conditions. Women, especially in rural areas, face barriers to employment and are often excluded from economic opportunities. Workers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) often face significant delays in wage payments, impacting their financial stability. Many rural workers are unaware of their rights under MGNREGA, leading to underutilization of available employment opportunities.

Objectives

Ensure Employment: Facilitate access to MGNREGA job cards and work opportunities for marginalized communities, particularly women.
Reduce Migration: Provide local employment opportunities to reduce the need for migration and combat trafficking.
Empower Women: Promote gender equality by ensuring women’s participation in the workforce and challenging stereotypes.
Raise Awareness: Educate communities about their rights under MGNREGA and support them in ensuring timely wage payments.

ActionAid Association Activities:

In 2023 alone, the campaign mobilized 40,000 rural workers from 1,350 villages across 47 districts in five states.

Supported 17,500 workers in obtaining job cards and engaging in work under MGNREGA. A total of 15,000 MGNREGA workers across Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Maharashtra demanded work.

ActionAid Association is facilitating access for MGNREGA Work for women from marginalised communities. For example, in Madhya Pradesh, we: Conducted a campaign in 25 villages of Bathiya and Mawai blocks in Mandla, engaging 700 women MGNREGA workers.

Organized meetings and helped women submit applications for renewal of job cards to their gram panchayats.

As a result, 700 women received local work for about 70 to 80 days, reducing migration and trafficking in the area.

In Uttar Pradesh, the campaign has: Covered 40 villages, raising awareness among 1,403 people.

Supported 400 workers in demanding their previous payments.

In Uttarakhand:

Facilitated the participation of 18 women as mates in MGNREGA projects, challenging traditional gender roles.

Himachal Pradesh:

Covered 35 villages, facilitating work applications for 247 workers, all of whom secured local employment.

Engaged 70 community leaders to monitor MGNREGA works.

Employment in Odisha:

Provided employment opportunities to 330 households in Sambalpur under MGNREGA.

Rajasthan:

Enabled 2,196 individuals to receive new job cards under MGNREGA and the Indira Gandhi Urban Employment Scheme.

How You Can Help

Volunteer: Join our campaign to support marginalised communities in demanding their right to work. Volunteers can assist in organizing community meetings, helping with job card applications, and raising awareness about MGNREGA.

Donate: Your contributions can help us expand our reach and support more communities. Donations will be used to facilitate job card applications, organize awareness campaigns, and support community leaders in monitoring MGNREGA projects.

Join Us

The Kaam Mango Abhiyan | Campaign to Demand Work is a vital initiative to ensure that marginalised communities can access their right to work and secure a stable livelihood. By volunteering or donating, you can help us create meaningful change and empower rural workers across India. Together, we can ensure that every worker has the opportunity to earn a dignified living and contribute to their community’s development.