Bridging the Gap: A Collaborative Approach to Address the Exploitation of Women Sugarcane Cutters in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra

This entry received 1st prize in an AY2024/2025 op-ed competition by Bridging GAP (Gender and Policy), a student group at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy which aims to enhance awareness of the importance of gender among public policy students.

Social exclusion based on caste, frequent droughts, lack of employment opportunities and unproductive agricultural land are the factors that lead to the seasonal migration of marginalised communities from the Marathwada region to western Maharashtra to take up cane-cutting work during harvesting season. The Informal system of hiring through labour intermediaries has resulted in severe exploitation of women’s cane cutters as they are forced to live in makeshift tents with no basic water or sanitation facilities for women. The reluctance from the labour intermediaries to hire menstruating workers forces women to go through needless hysterectomies for fear of losing work. This is an alarming situation adversely affecting the reproductive health of women cane cutters which are the backbone of the sugarcane industry in Maharashtra. The absence of a comprehensive policy guaranteeing basic labour rights and access to health services for women in such informal work settings has led to severe exploitation. There is a need for a collaborative approach to address this policy challenge. 

Marathwada is a drought-prone region. The International Institute of Environment and Development’s survey in the Beed district of the region suggests that 253 out of 423 households migrate to the sugar belt due to prolonged droughts.ⁱ Historical discrimination based on caste has left the marginalised communities landless in the region which is another factor resulting in seasonal migration of these communities. These systemic inequalities persist failing schemes like MGNREGA to guarantee work for labourers from marginalised communities of the region. According to a study conducted in 2019-2020 by Mahila Kisaan  Adhikari Manch (MAKAAM) on 1042 women cane cutters in 8 districts of the region, 40 per cent belonged to the scheduled caste and 19 per cent to nomadic tribesⁱⁱ. The study also highlights that only 24 per cent of these women possess job cards, and a mere 1.5 per cent% reported receiving work through MGNREGA in the past year.ⁱⁱⁱ Thus, the convergence of social, economic, and climate-related factors drives the seasonal migration of marginalised communities in pursuit of sustainable livelihood opportunities. 

Women are informally hired without any written contracts through contractors as part of a labour unit with their husbands, known as “Koyta” (the scythe), without written contracts.  They receive an advance payment, or uchal, ranging from Rs 60,000 to Rs 100,000 per season, which they must work off at an average rate of Rs 300 per tonne, effectively trapping  them in a system akin to debt bondage.^iv This lack of documentation leaves women without  legal recourse for wage disputes, undermining their financial control and agency.  Furthermore, contractors are not held accountable for inadequate living conditions, lack of essential amenities, and exploitative labour practices. The contractors levy heavy fines on missing work and are reluctant to hire menstruating women which forces women to go through needless hysterectomies for the fear of loss of work. According to 2019 data from the Public Health Department of Maharashtra, 13,861 out of 82,309 women sugarcane cutters in Beed district alone had undergone hysterectomies.^v The MAKAAM survey reveals that 8.6% of cane cutters have undergone hysterectomies, increasing from 3.1% under 30 to 16.5% for those aged 40-49. Women often cite minor health issues, such as stomach pain (69%), menstrual problems (46%), and white discharge (39%), as reasons.^vi Private medical practitioners exploit these vulnerabilities by recommending unnecessary surgeries.

Neelam Gorhe Committee set up by the Maharashtra government in 2019 led to the Implementation of stricter regulations on private medical practitioners to prevent unnecessary hysterectomies among women sugarcane cutters^vii, however, there have been no comprehensive and targeted health awareness campaigns in the state due to lack of funds and political will. Similarly, there was an attempt in 2014 to set welfare boards for cane cutters^viii. In 2018, the Maharashtra government proposed a scheme to extend social security benefits, including the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), to sugarcane workers and again in 2019, attempts were made to formalise the employment structure of cane cutters under the Gopinath Munde Oostod Kamgar Mahamandal. These advancements remain poorly implemented due to resistance from sugar mill owners as it increases their labour costs and loss of control over labour practices.  

Formalising employment structures is crucial for ensuring labour rights and healthcare access for women cane cutters. Their lack of registration and seasonal employment excludes them from vital social security and health schemes. Therefore, implementing policies to address these gaps is essential for enhancing their welfare. 

There needs to be a collaborative approach by the Labour Department Government of Maharashtra and the Public Health Department Government of Maharashtra along with actively engaging the private sector and non-profit sector to deal with the issue. To address the issue of resistance by Sugar mill owners to formalise the employment structure of migrant workers through registrations, the labour department must formulate a policy framework mandating private companies like food and beverages companies that source sugar from this region conduct regular human rights due diligence (HRDD) assessments throughout their sugarcane supply chains. This can nudge the sugar mill owners to comply with regulations that prioritise the welfare of workers creating a ripple effect, where compliance becomes essential to maintain business relationships with major food and beverage companies that value ethical sourcing. Along with that, there should be clear guidelines from the department regarding the registration process, where women are registered separately ensuring wages are paid directly to them and ensuring that women are hired directly by the mills through formal written contracts. 

The lack of awareness about reproductive and menstrual health leaves women’s cane cutters vulnerable to forced hysterectomies. The Public Health Department must launch targeted awareness campaigns for marginalised women in this group, leveraging trusted channels like self-help groups and Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers. As highlighted by MAKAAM surveys, addressing caste bias in healthcare requires caste sensitisation programmes for ASHA workers and healthcare providers. To engage the private sector, the Ministry should offer corporate social responsibility (CSR) credits to sugar industry companies for healthcare initiatives like mobile units, reproductive health check-ups, menstrual health education, and health camps. This framework incentivises private contributions to improving the well-being of marginalised women while aligning with CSR goals. 

References

ⁱ Bharadwaj, Ritu, N. Karthikeyan, Ira Deulgaonkar, and Arundhati Patil. 2024. Women Paying the Cost of the Climate Crisis with Their Wombs: Quantifying Loss and Damage Faced by Women Battling Drought, Debt and Migration. London: IIED.  https://iied.org/22281IIED. 

ⁱⁱ Kulkarni, Seema, Sneha Bhat, Pallavi Harshe, Swati Satpute, Deepali Sudhindra, Nitin Jadhav, and Bhausaheb Aher. Crushed Hopes: The Plight of Women Cane Cutters in Maharashtra. Society for Promoting Participative Ecosystem Management (SOPPECOM), 2020. 

ⁱⁱⁱ ibid 

^iv Iyer, Kavitha. “Sugar’s Bitter Truth: No Contracts, No Fair Wages, No Healthcare for Migrant Workers as Climate Risks, Accidents Rise.” Article 14, May 1, 2023. https://article-14.com/post/sugar-s-bitter-truth-no-contracts-no-fair-wages-no-healthcare-for-migrant-workers-as-climate-risks-accidents-rise--644f1ccc1dd74. 

^v Sah, P. “Why Do Women Sugarcane Cutters of Maharashtra See Needless Hysterectomies?”  BehanBox, 2022. https://behanbox.com. 

^vi Kulkarni, Seema, Sneha Bhat, Pallavi Harshe, Swati Satpute, Deepali Sudhindra, Nitin Jadhav, and Bhausaheb Aher. Crushed Hopes: The Plight of Women Cane Cutters in Maharashtra. Society for Promoting Participative Ecosystem Management (SOPPECOM), 2020. 

^vii After Beed Mass Hysterectomy Cases, Panel Wants Check-Ups, Health Cards for Migrant Sugarcane Cutters.” Hindustan Times, August 29, 2019. https://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/after-beed-mass-hysterectomy-cases-panel-wants-check-ups-health-cards-for-migrant-sugarcane-cutters/story-obZCCOFQvFKEGhCZT9joJN.html. 

^viii Shukla, Abhay, and Seema Kulkarni. “Harvest of Uteruses.” Economic and Political Weekly 54, no. 39 (2019): 10-13.